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The Kingdom Our rating: Rate this movie   Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: R (for intense sequences of graphic brutal violence, and language) Genre: Action, Drama Theater release: September 28, 2007 by Universal Pictures Directed by: Peter Berg Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes Cast: Jamie Foxx (Ronald Fluery), 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 (James Grace), Danny Huston (Gideon Young) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

The filmmakers and ad campaigns would love for you to believe that The Kingdom is a timely, action-packed political thriller—The Bourne Ultimatum crossed with Syriana. Unfortunately, the politics are somewhat incidental to the story, and there are but two action scenes to speak of. Still, you could do much worse than this as far as timely action-dramas go.

This fictional story, inspired by the 1996 Khobar Towers terrorist attack, begins with an incident that feels lifted straight from the headlines. It's a bright summer day as American oil company employees and their families enjoy a neighborhood picnic and baseball game at their home compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A picturesque, almost suburban setting, until the unthinkable happens: terrorists infiltrate the compound with an SUV and machine guns, mowing down innocents left and right. Later, a bomb explodes in the aftermath, killing hundreds and wounding hundreds more.

How should America respond? Higher-ups like Attorney General Gideon Young (Danny Huston) want to handle the delicate situation with diplomacy, respecting the wishes of the Saudi Prince to let Arabia take charge. The FBI is far less passive, especially when one of its own is killed in the blast. After some covert negotiations, a special evidence response team is assembled, led by Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx), with permission to investigate Riyadh for five days and root out the terrorist threat while the trail is still hot.

Jamie Foxx as FBI team leader Ronald Fleury

Of course it's never simple when culture clashes are involved, especially in the world's powder keg. The team is initially hampered by protocol, allowed only to observe with a Saudi police escort, and restricted to makeshift accommodations in a gymnasium. But the investigation eventually expands, while Fleury finds a kindred spirit in Colonel Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom of Paradise Now)—two men committed to bringing evil to justice and making the world a little safer for their families.

This is the fourth film for director Peter Beg (Friday Night Lights), who again brings kinetic action to his visual style. The camera work has a slightly washed out and shaky hand-held feel—similar to but not quite as refined as Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93). The idea is to create a documentary feel, placing viewers in the middle of the action.

The Kingdom is not the special ops intrigue that you would expect from, say, a movie based on a Tom Clancy novel. It's less about political intrigue and military action than it is a crime drama procedural—essentially a buddy cop film that just happens to be set in Saudi Arabia. The film often resembles Michael Mann's work (Heat, Miami Vice), and indeed, he's one of the producers.

Jennifer Garner as forensics examiner Janet Mayes

A crime drama in Arabia is fine, but considering the talent involved, we'd hope for better than buddy cop film clichés. Fleury and Al Ghazi are the classic odd couple cop pairing, struggling over their cultural differences at first but learning mutual respect, especially after the classic stakeout conversation in the car ("So, why did you become a cop?"). Though timely and meaningful, the relationship between American and Arab enforcers feels no different than those shared by black and white (Lethal Weapon), Russian and American (Red Heat), or human and alien (Alien Nation).

It doesn't help that the characters are action movie archetypes so thinly developed that they would border on parody in most movies. But with two Oscar winners, two Golden Globe winners, and an Emmy winner in the roles, they bring enough acting experience to their parts to make them instantly recognizable.

Foxx is the best as the go-getter leader—the type that's hot headed enough to bend the rules, yet sensitive enough to give a sweet little monologue about his precious little boy's birth. Jennifer Garner is part Sydney Bristow (Alias ), part Clarice Starling (The Silence of the Lambs) as tough-but-emotional forensics expert Janet Mayes. Chris Cooper is explosives expert Grant Sykes, the likeably gruff veteran. And Jason Bateman is … well, they say he's the intelligence analyst, but all we really see is whiny comedic relief. There's also the bureaucrat holding the team back, but instead of the angry police chief ("You're off the force!"), we have diplomat Damon Schmidt (Jeremy Piven) and the slimy Attorney General.

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