A Decent Thriller: The Kingdom

The Kingdom (Advance Screening)
Directed by Peter Berg
To be released September 28, 2007

Peter Berg's new action-thriller is essentially "Syriana" spiced up with a good deal of humor and a fair amount of action towards the end. The four main characters all crack jokes most of the time and then kick ass the rest of the time. Several friends of mine hated this film for the exact same reasons I enjoyed it. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, and Chris Cooper all do their jobs appropriately, but it is former "Arrested Development" star Jason Bateman who deserves special mention for his nervous but constantly sarcastic performance. Richard Jenkins and Jeremy Piven also appear in memorable cameos. There is nothing earth-shattering in the form of originality, but it is refreshing to see an action movie with brains that can keep the audience engaged for the whole time. This film is at times devastating in its images but at others a fast-paced thrill ride that the audience with whom I saw the film truly loved.

B+