Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released The Kingdom to the Blu-ray format and the film looks and sounds great. The movie is a slow-building political thriller that keeps the tension tight throughout the movie and ends with a huge action sequence that thrives on Blu-ray’s 1080p picture.
I enjoyed the movie when I watched it on DVD in 2007, and liked it even more on Blu-ray – where I picked up on some things missed the first time and enjoyed some of the minor performances even more. The movie still has some flaws, but it holds up well thanks to the actors’ performances, the camera angles and filming style, and the twisting plot.
The Kingdom was directed by Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights and Hancock) and produced by Michael Mann (Miami Vice and Heat). It featured an ensemble cast including Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Ashraf Barhom. There are also some decent supporting roles with Jeremy Piven, Danny Huston, Kyle Chandler, and Tim McGraw (who impresses with a very powerful scene with Foxx).
The film features a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan (Lions for Lambs and State of Play), music by the great Danny Elfman and cinematography by Mauro Fiore. Fiore and company used a “shaky” camera style of filming that caused some people to have a problem with the movie, but I enjoyed the documentary feel it gives the film.
The filming style (similar to how the Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum were shot) didn’t really bother me, but it is noticeable – especially during the big shootout at the end of the movie. The style also helps the film achieve a realistic feeling during the shootout, and helps sell the drama of what is seen on screen.
The Kingdom follows a group of FBI agents in Saudi Arabia to investigate a terrorist attack where several Americans were killed. Due to the political climate, the Saudi government is less than thrilled about inviting the FBI to investigate the crime, and promise to handle the matter internally.
While many of the FBI’s leaders are willing to accept this decision by the Saudi government, special agent Ronald Fleury (Foxx) and his team - including forensics expert Janet Mayes (Garner), explosives expert Grant Sykes (Cooper), and intelligence analyst Adam Leavitt (Bateman) - blackmail their way into the country so they can join the investigation.
Once there, the team slowly works their relationships with the Saudi government and starts piecing together the crime. It doesn’t take long for the team to discover the suspects, track them down, and get into a HUGE gunfight - which dominates the final few minutes of the film.
The Kingdom keeps the tension tight throughout the movie thanks to the performances of its cast. Foxx, Cooper, Bateman (who brings some humor to the film with quick sarcastic lines), and Barhom deliver standout performances.
This is Foxx’s movie and he seems up to the task of being the team leader. He is at home in the role of an FBI agent and appears natural when the firefight breaks out towards the end. His performance helps sell the action moments, but also the weight of the drama on the screen (such as the scene with Tim McGraw)
Barhom is also excellent in the film and helps the audience understand the Saudi government side of the story. He is a soldier who wants to help solve this crime, but also serves his country without question.
Garner and Cooper also deliver solid performances, but get somewhat lost in the background. At times, Garner’s character seems to be in the story simply to show the differences between American women and Saudi women (such as how they cover her up when the team meets the prince, and how she is not invited to a party at the palace).
Berg does a solid job in the director’s chair and keeps the plot moving without much lag. The film has some problems and feels a bit familiar, but Berg and company keep it watchable thanks to the blending of the action and political drama.
Most of the Blu-ray’s special features are carried over from the DVD release and include:
Deleted Scenes
It also includes the U-Control function which brings the features into the movie with the Picture in a Picture format that give you access to interviews and behind the scenes footage while the film plays. There is also a Character by Character look at the Apartment Shootout; a way to track the onscreen action through 3D visualization; and a Mission Dossier that takes you into the movie with notes and background information.
I enjoyed watching The Kingdom on DVD, and I enjoyed it even more on Blu-ray. The film still has some flaws, but the story’s slow burning tension and explosive final shootout make it worth watching.
The Kingdom is now available at Amazon . Visit the DVD database for more information.
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