Jamie Foxx in "Kingdom"
courtesy of Universal Home Video
"The Successful War Movie"

This year there have been many movies that are directly or indirectly related to the war in Iraq. They range from "Lions For Lambs" to "In the Valley of Elah." Not one of those movies has been a major success except "The Kingdom." This movie, now out on DVD, attracted an audience by being a thriller and laying low on the political aspects. It wasn't a message movie or a sermon.

"The Kingdom" involves a murder of American civilians in Saudi Arabia by terrorists. The FBI sends a four-man team in to catch the bad guys and that is when the excitement begins. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman play the members of the team and each adds a specialty to the enjoyment of this movie.

The political overtones of the movie are confusing at best but the basic hunt for the evildoers is plain and simple. When a group of civilians working in Saudi Arabia are gunned down in a recreational park in Saudi Arabia, the FBI is enraged. Especially when it is learned that one of their own was on the list of casualties.

By hook and by crook a four-man team led by Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Foxx) is allowed into the country to look for clues. Their stay is only good for five days. This is a short time to solve a complex case but Grant Sykes (Cooper), Janet Mayes (Garner) and Adam Leavitt (Bateman) are all tops in their various areas of expertise.

The group also finds an ally and supporter in Colonel Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom). He knows the city and knows the people so his involvement is a major asset. He is just as determined to find the terrorists as the FBI group is.

The last third of the movie is pure adrenaline producing action. The good acting comes first followed by the good action. Foxx is dynamic as the strong and sensitive leader while Garner proves she is a solid action figure. Cooper is droll and dry, and Bateman steals the movie as a wisecracking and worried agent.

Jeremy Piven pops up as a member of the US Embassy and has some bright moments as a harried civil servant. Frances Fisher makes an impression as a newspaper reporter Fleury uses as a messenger. And Kyle ("Friday Night Lights") Chandler is another sensitive and emotional agent.

Director Peter Berg has skillfully blended in the political topics with the straight action. Neither is too heavy. There are some messages in the movie but they do not control the film. As an aside, Berg can be seen in the FBI briefing sequence at the start of the movie.

"The Kingdom" is an action packed film that challenges your mind and your emotions. Foxx and friends do great work to make the characters come to life. They are all good but somehow it is Bateman who lingers in the mind the longest.

Forget those other "war message" movies. This is the one who gets its point across and that point is entertainment.

Entertainment of a different kind is provided in "American Pie Presents: Beta House." Yes the raunchy "American Pie" has produced another edition of its silly story. Eugene Levy is the only original cast member returning but he is back as the ever-present Mr. Levinstein. Christopher MacDonald is a new addition to the cast in the role of Mr. Stiffler.

The movie itself is all about going to college, joining a fraternity, and having one big PARTY! You can bet the focus of this film is not academics. So get ready for some raunchy fun because that is what this new sequel of sorts delivers.

Two funny guys, Will Arnett and Will Forte, star in the movie "The Brothers Solomon." This comedy concerns two socially inept brothers who want to grant their dying father's only wish. He wants a grandchild. Now the two brothers have no social skills but they resolve to finds someone willing to have a child by them. Their efforts are totally awkward and that is where the bulk of the comedy comes in.

Arnett and Forte are funny but the movie is just a one joke piece. Some of it is funnier than other parts. Kristin Wiig and Jenna Fischer are the two women involved in the movie and they are good too. Still something about the movie eluded me and I found it to be one you would only watch on DVD.

Finally there is "Maximum Cage Fighting." This is a violent but exciting film about the sport of "maximum cage fighting" which is a potentially lethal sport. Jason Field and Chris Torres co-star in the movie that is short on plot but long on action.

This is not a documentary but rather a film about one man being coerced into taking part in this deadly game of maximum cage fighting. There are also extras such as a "making of" look behind the scenes. Watching a movie of this type is a matter of taste but the action is riveting.
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

Click above to find out more about Jackie's books!