The Kingdom

Movies like this are hard to watch. Not because it's a bad movie. No, it's far from that. It's because it hits so close to home, considering the times we live in. After 9/11, and now the Iraq war, tensions between the US and Middle East have risen. We live in sensitive times and this movie tackles a sensitive issue. The Kingdom presents a fictional (but very realistic) account of US citizens living in Saudi attacked by terrorists. In the film, a US housing complex in Saudi Arabia gets bombed by Muslim terrorists. So, a team of FBI agents that includes Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, and Jason Bateman (yes, that Jason Bateman) are sent to Saudi to investigate the catastrophe. During their investigation, the agents face a huge obstacle because they get very minimal support from the Saudis. With the exception of a loyal Saudi appointed to help them, they are outnumbered and extremely out of place conducting their investigation in this foreign country.

Get ready to have your emotions rocked if you plan on seeing this film. There are some real intense themes here that are hard to swallow. It's a given that since it covers the topic of terrorism that it'll shake you up. Along with that, there is enough explosive action to keep you on the edge of your seat. What's great is that the serious tone of the film isn't dumbed down by the action scenes. They just spice it up a bit. The first part of the film builds up the tension as the agents aggresively work to find the terrorists responsible for the massacre. Then the explosive action kicks in during a very memorable scene on a highway, which leads to a huge shoot-out, a kidnapping, some car chasing, another round of intense shoot-outs, and a shocking and unexpected twist ending.

Most films usually have some sort of conflict that gets resolved in the end, leaving everyone happy. But in The Kingdom, it ends on a very chilling note. What makes it so chilling is that it honestly reflects a very dark reality of our world. You'll just have to see for yourself.