ViewGuide

Created Sep 30, 2007 10:06PM PST • Edited Jan 22, 2017 03:15PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   The Hollywood action movie treatment gets applied to Islamist terrorism in the center of Arabian Oil power in The Kingdom. The result is an entertaining and enlightening show that has more than enough relevance to raise it above run-of-the-mill popcorn fare.

   Several mainstream media critics have chided the movie for its political incorrectness, since it presents bad Saudis (as well as good Saudis), while showing that Saudi Arabia functions as an essentially corrupt absolute monarchy (is there any other kind?), and that the Americans engage in triumphalism after they kill the bad Saudis. Methinks these criticisms reflect political bias more than clear thinking, since The Kingdom is less unfair to the Saudis than was ‘The Bourne’ series to the CIA, to pick a contrasting example that escaped similar criticism. As for triumphalism when the bad guys get killed, isn’t that what Hollywood action movies are designed for?

4. Acting

   Very Good 3.5

   Jamie Foxx has become a plausible and modestly charismatic action hero. Chris Cooper – one of the best actors working today – is always worth watching. Jennifer Garner makes a fine tom-boy tuff girl.

   Only Jason Bateman – as the comic relief sidekick – really disappoints.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars OK 2.5

   Jason Bateman is more annoying than funny. The fault no doubt goes as much to the sreenwriters as to the actor, but the guy’s wise cracks are painfully unfunny.

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    Peter Berg deserves credit for both cleverly handling the exposition of Arabian history at the front of the movie, then for delivering an amped up action movie that Jerry Bruckheimer would be proud of (think Con Air, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.).

11. Direction Really Great 4.5

    Trivia moment: look for Berg as an extra with a few speaking lines during the FBI briefing meeting early in the movie. You’ll recognize him if you ever saw an episode of Chicago Hope.

12. Play OK 2.5

    While competent, the dialogue is witless and mostly charmless.

13. Music Good 3.0

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.5

17. Sex Innocent 1.0

18. Violence Savage 4.0

19. Rudeness Profane 2.6

21. Reality

    Glib 1.7

    In classic Hollywood fashion, the movie stirs up a semi-plausible brew from real events like the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia and the violent takeover of the Great Mosque in Mecca.

    Hollywood trickery aside, The Kingdom’s enlightening scenes include those that show murderous Islamist fanatics packing their explosive vests with nails, marbles and jacks. This visibility into the workaday affairs of religiously sanctioned evil makes the movie worth watching all by itself.

    Also striking a terrifying chord is the terrorists use of the now familiar technique of video beheading. One of the great ironies of our age is that Islamist terrorists – who would otherwise take us back to the middle ages – are nothing if not adept at using the most cutting edge propaganda tools and techniques.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.1

23. Biological Glib 2.0

24. Physical Glib 1.1