The Kingdom
User Score
6.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 89 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 89
  3. Negative: 19 out of 89

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  1. ApocalypseBrown
    Oct 4, 2007
    0
    An insult to all Saudis, whilst its shameless propaganda against the East. AGAIN! I wonder why they are no films about Israel and the U.S. bombing the crap out of innocents in Palestine and staving people in Cuba? Anyway despite all of that, it still is Hall of Turkey fame. Has Foxy done a decent film except Collateral and his Oscar success?
  2. TheTerminator
    Sep 30, 2007
    0
    They should terminate this sorry excuse for a featured film. It's an embarrassment. What are the qualifications to be a cameraman? Whatever they are it is impossible to follow the inaction. No suspense whatsoever. A total joke.
  3. MarcusA.
    Oct 1, 2007
    3
    You people are stupid. This movie is bad if you don't like mindless action with one of the stupidest plots I've ever seen since Transformers, but what did you expect. If you thought this was going to be an intelligent action movie your an idiot. The camera work was bad, but it was done on purpose. The camera shook to heighten suspense and action like in Friday Night Lights (The Guy Who Made Friday Light Nights Made This), but it just gave me a headache, like in Friday Night Lights. The Action Was Cool, but that is not enough. If they didn't care about plot, which they obviously did not, then they should have just made a "Shoot Em Up" type movie, don't make bad action movies, there are enough of them.… Expand
  4. Rasputin
    Oct 1, 2007
    0
    Is this the best Hollywood can produce? A JHS class production has to be better than this. Boring with terrible acting, directing and camerawork. Pass-a-deena!
  5. JamesE
    Oct 15, 2007
    1
    Upsetting in every way. There are no films showing USA, UK (You get my point) Terrorizing innocent Iraqis, or killing suspected terrorists in Afghanistan. Hollywood is at its worst in History and i can not bear another one of these films.
  6. Horace
    Oct 2, 2007
    0
    Awful Hollywood gobbily gook. Are we to believe that every man, woman, and child have guns, rocket launchers and grenades in their bed next to them? Just a failed attempt by the Guru's in Hollywood to capitalize on the negative PR of the Middle East. Awful!
  7. Freakster
    Oct 8, 2007
    0
    Much ado about nothing. Pay your money, sit down and be bored to tears. There is not a single character that the viewer cares about. The story is over the top ridiculous. And the action feels about as real as a professional wrestling match. Midway thru you start looking at your watch. And that ending, what a joke!
  8. Alice
    Sep 28, 2007
    0
    Boring beyond belief. And the terrible camera work was attrocious as it was impossible to follow. Almost as if this was an amateur production. The directing and acting were abdominal. REFUND ALERT!
  9. Jeremy
    Oct 3, 2007
    0
    How lame was this? The pits!
  10. LaughingStock
    Oct 6, 2007
    0
    It doesn't get any tackier than this. Run!
  11. Richard
    Oct 9, 2007
    0
    Jason I read your review and you sound about 15. You have no clue about the movie other than you liked the good guys versus the bad guys shoot em up action flick. By the way who exactly were the good guys? This was a propaganda piece to capitalize on the War in the Middle East except that it backfired big time. No one can be naive enough to think that every child in Saudi, Arabia carries a hand grenade and a rocket laucher in his back pack. But somehow this is what this sorry excuse for a motion picture conveyed. The camera work was attrocious, the directing awful and the acting was a total joke. Other than than Jason this was a great movie worthy of an adolescent without a clue.… Expand
  12. Fantasy
    Sep 27, 2007
    2
    I saw this movie at a sneak preview. If you saw the trailer you saw the movie as that was the highlight. This is nothing more than a made for TV movie despite the hype and the constant advertisements. It is paint by the numbers without any suspense. The camera work is shoddy in that it is those annoying close ups with the camera moving so you don't know who is who during the combat scenes. The actors sleepwalk through their roles as it appears they are only there to pick up a paycheck. As soon as you leave the theater this movie is forgotten. My advice is to wait for it to come out on DVD and rent it if you must. Even then you will turn it off quickly. Avoid.… Collapse
  13. JoyceC.
    Sep 27, 2007
    0
    One of the boringest Jamie Fox movies of all time. His boringest was Miami Vice. I'm still at least happier that this is even better. But I still am so disappointed, the story felt so dull. Nothing special really happened for it to be good. For me, they probably could have tried so much better. Chris Cooper, you gave the only performance worth it, thank you for your cooperation, but I'm sorry you were chosen with a good cast, good role, good story, but worked with a horrible director, writer, and producer most of all. The visuals were difficult to follow, there was so much camera-shaking that the action sequences hurt the eyes after a while.… Expand
  14. Dracula
    Sep 28, 2007
    0
    I knew I was in trouble when the theater was more than half empty when the flick started. After 15 minutes I wanted to put a bag over my head. The movie is lifeless and the actors snore thru their paces. Everything is predictable without any suspense. And that camera work was from hell. Run away as fast as you can.
  15. JaredC.
    Sep 26, 2007
    0
    Jamie Fox and cast get the job done, while action that isn't effective, dialogue that annoys, a movie that has so much cam-shake that you can't even watch it. A poor letdown, way too cliched that it frustrates your mind.
  16. JCA.
    Sep 26, 2007
    0
    Absolutely horrible, with a bad script, and bad acting, especially from the good actor's. It is predictable and very weak, the plot is so weak that it isn't entertaining, it is boring.
  17. TylerJ.
    Sep 29, 2007
    0
    Just bad all around. Nothing to do with the political aspect, but everything to do with the weak script and weaker acting. Juat another failed Hollywood action flick; with a little politics thrown in.
  18. NickW.
    Jan 31, 2008
    4
    This movie was OK at best but the problem I had was it felt like an American propaganda film, especially with the "Kill them all" remark at the end. Just my two cents.
  19. JudyT
    Feb 27, 2008
    4
    Too shallow to be taken seriously.
  20. MichalisA.
    Mar 17, 2008
    0
    Not really an action movie but a sci-fi!

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
56 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 37 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 37
  3. Negative: 3 out of 37
  1. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    75
    Overall, the film is smart and engaging, and if it plays a little on our fears of the next big terrorist attack, it does so without feeling exploitative.
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  2. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    75
    Matthew Michael Carnahan's caffeinated script isn't much concerned with balance, but it gets some anyway, from the resonant images of culture clash that Berg catches on the fly and a remarkable performance from Ashraf Barhom.
    Read full review
  3. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Stephen Farber
    60
    Berg's movie is no more than an action movie with an exotic backdrop. That would be fine, if only the movie were more exciting. It succeeds neither as a pointed political commentary nor as a taut thriller.
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