2008 Woodie Awards
'Kingdom' history lesson with explosions
Charlie Peppers
Issue date: 10/5/07 Section: FUSE
Originally published: 10/4/07 at 10:09 PM EST
Last update: 10/4/07 at 10:07 PM EST
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If you're a person who normally flips past CNN, preferring to ignore the extensive Middle Eastern war coverage, this is not the film for you.
In fact, once the trailers cease and the lights in the theater dim, you're bombarded with a two-minute long history lesson based on the relations between Saudi Arabia and America.
If film director Peter Berg would have used this device more sparingly, maybe - just maybe - it would have enriched the plot line.
Unfortunately, these yawn-worthy history lessons appear consistently throughout the course of the film, usually seeping into the characters' dialogue, and ultimately weigh down its momentum. You come expecting to be propelled into a high- octane popcorn flick, but end up lolling through a dry political drama.
"The Kingdom" does provide the occasional action sequence, despite its other flaws. Shortly following the tedious history lesson, the plot starts off with a bang - quite literally.
Saudi-Arabian terrorists, masquerading as police officers, infiltrate a heavily guarded residential area and detonate a bomb.
This comes entirely unexpectedly and demonstrates the chilling spontaneity of terrorism.
After the first action sequence, there is a long 111-minute wait for the second and only other action sequence. This leaves your thirst for visceral realism unsatisfied. One of the film's weak points is that it chooses to "tell" rather than to "show."
Fortunately, the all-star cast breathes life into the film between the sporadic action sequences.
A quartet of American FBI agents is sent to pursue the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks. Each member of the quartet has a bone to pick with those responsible for the explosions.
Their mission becomes understandably tense and entertaining when they're paired up with a Saudi-Arabian police officer.
The overwhelming differences between the American agents and the hard-as-nails Saudi-Arabian police officer makes for chuckle-worthy scenes.
In fact, once the trailers cease and the lights in the theater dim, you're bombarded with a two-minute long history lesson based on the relations between Saudi Arabia and America.
If film director Peter Berg would have used this device more sparingly, maybe - just maybe - it would have enriched the plot line.
Unfortunately, these yawn-worthy history lessons appear consistently throughout the course of the film, usually seeping into the characters' dialogue, and ultimately weigh down its momentum. You come expecting to be propelled into a high- octane popcorn flick, but end up lolling through a dry political drama.
"The Kingdom" does provide the occasional action sequence, despite its other flaws. Shortly following the tedious history lesson, the plot starts off with a bang - quite literally.
Saudi-Arabian terrorists, masquerading as police officers, infiltrate a heavily guarded residential area and detonate a bomb.
This comes entirely unexpectedly and demonstrates the chilling spontaneity of terrorism.
After the first action sequence, there is a long 111-minute wait for the second and only other action sequence. This leaves your thirst for visceral realism unsatisfied. One of the film's weak points is that it chooses to "tell" rather than to "show."
Fortunately, the all-star cast breathes life into the film between the sporadic action sequences.
A quartet of American FBI agents is sent to pursue the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks. Each member of the quartet has a bone to pick with those responsible for the explosions.
Their mission becomes understandably tense and entertaining when they're paired up with a Saudi-Arabian police officer.
The overwhelming differences between the American agents and the hard-as-nails Saudi-Arabian police officer makes for chuckle-worthy scenes.
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