The Kingdom (2007)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Peter Berg

Writer (WGA):

Matthew Michael Carnahan (written by)

Release Date:

28 September 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Trust No One

Plot:

A team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Saudi Arabia | Compound | Investigation | FBI Agent

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Ronald Fleury
Chris Cooper	...	Grant Sykes
Jennifer Garner	...	Janet Mayes
Jason Bateman	...	Adam Leavitt
Ashraf Barhom	...	Colonel Faris Al Ghazi
Ali Suliman	...	Sergeant Haytham
Jeremy Piven	...	Damon Schmidt
Richard Jenkins	...	Robert Grace
Tim McGraw	...	Aaron Jackson
Kyle Chandler	...	Francis Manner
Frances Fisher	...	Elaine Flowers
Danny Huston	...	Gideon Young
Kelly AuCoin	...	Ellis Leach
Anna Deavere Smith	...	Maricella Canavesio
Minka Kelly	...	Miss Ross

Also Known As:

Operation: Kingdom (Germany)
El reino (Argentina) (Mexico) (Venezuela) [es]
Le royaume (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
O Reino (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
A királyság (Hungary) [hu]
Království (Czech Republic) [cs]
Krallik (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Kuningriik (Estonia) [et]
La sombra del reino (Spain) [es]
Zoni ypsilou kindynou (Greece) (DVD title) [el]

MPAA:

Rated R for intense sequences of graphic brutal violence, and for language.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Arabic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Netherlands:16 | UK:15 | Sweden:15 | Ireland:15A | South Korea:18 | Denmark:15 | South Africa:16LV | USA:R (certificate #43538) | Finland:K-15 | Australia:MA | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:16 | Kuwait:(Banned) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | France:-12 | Malaysia:18SG | Japan:PG-12 | Taiwan:R-12 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/16 | Norway:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Jennifer Garner collapsed on the set in Phoenix twice due to the extremely high temperature, over 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Robert Grace is meeting alone with Gideon Young, he has his glasses on at the start of the conversation. After Young removes his glasses, we see that Grace has also removed his, even though we have not seen him do it. Yet, when the camera shows the back of Grace's head, we can still see the side of the frame of his glasses.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator #1: After capturing most of the Arabian Peninsula with the help of the Wahhabi Islamic warriors, Ibn Saud establishes the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in MTV Video Music Awards 2007 (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Rhymetime

has the makings of something memorable but takes the easy way out

When a devastating terrorist attack occurs in Saudi Arabia resulting in the death of an American federal agent and several civilians, the FBI is reluctant to conduct their own investigation for fear of severing international relations with an uncooperative Saudi government. Foxx is the head of the bureau's Rapid Action team. Accompanied by fellow agents Cooper (an explosives expert), and Garner (a forensic specialist), he leads an "unofficial" expedition to the site to try and seek out the guilty party. Political thriller has a realistic setup and three capable leads, but unfortunately the film rambles, and reduces itself to a revenge flick on its way to an action-packed climax that feels desperately contrived. The story is interesting but never convincing, especially the ending which is hollow and sentimental. **