The Kingdom (2007)

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

Director:

Peter Berg

Writer:

Matthew Michael Carnahan

Stars:

Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

After a terrorist attack on an American housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where families and FBI Agent Francis Manner are murdered, FBI agent Ronald Fleury blackmails the Saudi Arabian consul to get five days of investigation in the location. He travels with agent Grant Sykes, Janet Mayes and Adam Leavitt to avenge their friend and try to find those responsible for the bombing. The agents find all sorts of difficulties in their investigation, but they are supported by Colonel Faris Al Ghazi that advises the team how to act in a hostile environment.

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Plot Keywords:

saudi arabia | investigation | die hard scenario | safe room | al qaeda | 

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Taglines:

How do you stop an enemy who isn't afraid to die?

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

United International Pictures [Germany] United International Pictures [Japan]

Country:

USA Germany United Arab Emirates

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

28 September 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

El reino

Filming Locations:

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,135,055, 30 September 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$47,536,778, 31 December 2007

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$86,658,558, 29 December 2012

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Forward Pass

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reportedly, one of the extras, Austin Martin, was commended by several of the main cast, including Jamie Foxx, for his very realistic looking beard. The actors believed it to be skillful work by the costume department, when, in reality, it was entirely natural.

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Goofs

In the intro sequence, the film says that oil was discovered in 1933 by accident and that the ARAMCO was founded as the first union between Saudi Arabia and the United States in 1938. In reality, the dates are switched. The company was founded by Chevron in 1933 and the same company later discovered oil in 1938.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: The Kingdom/Trade/The Game Plan/Feast of Love/The Darjeeling Limited/Lust, Caution (2007)

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Soundtracks

Friendship
(uncredited)
Written by Danny Elfman

User Reviews

A FBI crack team formed by three men and one woman goes to Saudi Arab to investigate a terrorist massacre

Tense film packs intrigue, action , thrills, suspense and an stirring final . Thrilling and exciting movie about terrorism , foreign policy critical and geopolitical issues . After a terrorist bombing on an USA oil company compound in Saudi Arab caused a slaughter , the FBI chief (Richard Jenkins) against the opinion of the General Prosecutor (Danny Huston) sends some crack agents a dangerous mission .FBI Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) quickly assembles an elite team ( Chris Cooper ,Jennifer Garner , Jason Bateman) and negotiates a secret five-day trip into Saudi Arabia to locate the madmen behind the bombing , not withstanding the protests of slimy diplomat (Jeremy Piven). They are actively involved in discover the terrorist cell , as the Jihadis are executing a massacre , and planning others and eluding authorities for some time . As they enter Saudi Arab the crew meets colonel Faris ( Ashraf ) like-minded partner and together they scheme to solve it . The CIA agents supported by the Saudi Colonel who helps them navigate royal politics and unlock the secrets of the crime scene and the workings of an extremist cell bent on further destruction , all of them plot to chase relentlessly the mastermind terrorist . The group find their expertise worthless without the trust of their Saudi counterparts, who want to locate the terrorist in their homeland on their own terms . However they form a shaky alliance to break the terrorist ring whose objective is the bombing civilian targets .

Story's core is interesting and script is dense with information and use of interesting messages to add weight to drama, furthermore is packed with moving ending scenes as when the team is attacked on the highway and when the crew is led to the killer's front door in a blistering do-or-die confrontation. The ultra-brisk editing and rapid images movement leaves little time to consider some inadequacies. The picture takes parts from ¨Syriana¨ ( by Steven Soderbergh with George Clooney) about the dangerous terrorism Arab ; ¨Black Hawk down¨ (by Ridley Scott) in which US military involved into action on a foreign country ; Spy game ¨(2001, by Tony Scott with Brad Pitt and Robert Redford ) concerning the spy-world and ¨Body of lies ¨ (2008 by Ridley Scott with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe ) about sophisticated methods of the international terrorism . The intrepid Jamie Foxx , the veteran Chris Cooper and the only female Jennifer Garner are good as intelligent , brave super-agents and Jeremy Piven's cool displaying a brief performance. The film contains colorful , glimmer cinematography , predominating of yellow tones , by Mauro Fiore . Rousing and vibrant musical score by Danny Elfman with some Arab overtones. The motion picture is well realized by Peter Berg. Rating : Above average, well worth watching.