The Kingdom

In terms of the writing, it’s very economical, dynamic, and enjoyable to watch without unnecessary rambling. Additionally, it doesn't take anyone's side, meaning that the FBI agents are not machines for Americanism, and not all Arabs are willing to commit suicide for Allah. There is a certain level of political incorrectness, but making a film about such a sharp and current topic is already quite an art in itself, especially with such a high budget, so the director cannot be criticized too much in this regard. And actually, he cannot be criticized either when it comes to the technical aspects. Though that is rather the work of the chief producer Michael Mann, because when it comes to action, it is mostly his style, the typical visual elements, editing composition, and especially the stunning sound and clarity. The action is simply excellent, raw and fast-paced. Above all, the final ten-minute heist is the best action sequence of the year. Yes, better than Bourne. (2007-10-12)

The Kingdom is a precisely constructed and directed thriller with a generic plot that very much conforms to the American geopolitical agenda of the time, but also attempts to disguise its propagandistic dimension by building kitsch-laden sympathies for some of the characters of other nationalities. In the end, it even allows itself to poke at the supposed moral superiority and unambiguous firm resolve. But, of course, it remains solely at the level of an easily digestible mainstream flick that resolutely does not go against the grain. However, the effectively built team of main characters, each with their own role in the narrative, and especially the action are definitely worthy of praise. Though viewers will have to wait until the end for that, it is the natural culmination of the preceding events and the depicted characters, and above all it is realised with an outstanding symbiosis of dramatic construction, spatial topography, nervous camerawork and quick editing, as well as astonishing physical dynamics. (2021-01-12)

There is a category of beautifully trashy movies where the American president takes down ten terrorists in a man-to-man battle, then sits in the cockpit of a military plane and eliminates a missile base threatening the whole world with a precise hit. Similar movies are transparent, they don't pretend to be anything else, and in their stupidity, they are often surprisingly entertaining. Unfortunately, The Kingdom does not belong to this category. It is obviously a low-quality production, and the opening montage and the scene of the attack on the American employees' camp set the bar quite high. One then looks forward to a clever crime thriller, only to find out that the good part is already over, and with every subsequent shot, the film delves into all the imaginable clichés of action movies. In the case of The Kingdom, the core of success for film fans is represented by well-shot action scenes and the reliable acting of the participants, although routine. However, the film script exudes such indifference toward Saudi Arabian realities and such contempt for the local culture that it hurts; the American civilization's superiority is simply evident when American professionals have to teach their colleagues the basics of criminal investigation, including fingerprinting... I don't even feel right giving it 2 stars in the end. Overall impression: 25%. (2013-05-12)

Total satisfaction. Peter Berg serves up an interesting story that looks at the issues of the Western and Arab worlds in a quite clever way. Visually, the film is top notch from the first to the last second, Jamie Foxx is superb, and the final action set-piece is something that makes you want to take cover from bullets. I can't wait to see it again. (2007-09-14)

I pray that this is not a new filmmaking trend and a question comes to mind: Is everyone really going to unsuccessfully play second-rate Paul Greengrass from now on? The words of an overseas film critic who wrote that Berg invited a "permanently dancing monkey" to operate the camera sound true. Even in static shots, the chaotic shuffling of the camera from side to side, up and down, which, sitting about 10 m in front of the big screen, led to sore eyes and, after half an hour, I had the feeling I had overdosed on Kinedryl. Greengrass owns this filmmaking style, he's mastered it perfectly and gave Bourne an interesting flair. But in your case, Peter Berg, was it really necessary? Because otherwise the actors, led by the charismatic Foxx, were superb, the Saudi realism fantastic and the final action breathtaking in places. If Berg became convinced that his pseudo-documentary approach with a camera unleashed could draw the viewer more into the plot, in my case it completely missed the mark. The last two sentences of the film are great, a simple and yet so apt description of the never ending struggle between the Western world and the Islamic one! By the way, for the first time in my life I had the experience of being in the cinema completely alone! (2007-10-28)