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When A Spyyyyyyy Loves THE KINGDOM...
Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here.
... he can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else. He’ll brave the talkbacks if they put it down.
Seriously, this guy flipped out for this movie. Peter Berg’s always been a solid filmmaker, in my opinion, and his earlier films like THE RUNDOWN or (especially) FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS certainly have their fans.
So did he knock it out of the ballpark with this one? Check out what one viewer had to say:
(Note - if you're the type that hates positive reviews, you might want to skip this. I consider this one of the best films I've seen in recent memory and will likely top my "Best of 2007" list)
Tonight in Sherman Oaks was a test screening of Peter Berg's THE KINGDOM. I don't know if this was the first test screening for the film or not. The guy who usually tells us whether we are "the first to see it" or "one of the first" or "the first west coast audience" or "the only people left in California who haven't seen this already" (I think that ones just for Knocked Up though) skipped that part entirely.
Either way it was the most 'finished' film I have ever seen for a test screening. Other than the temp score (which was from Berg's own Friday Night Lights, or at least other (equally great) Explosions in the Sky music, the final will be Danny Elfman), the film was finished as far as my eyes could tell. We even got a full blown opening credits sequence, which itself was just as excellent as the rest of the film. In addition to learning that being in two scenes (Jeremy Piven) can get you billed over a guy that's on camera throughout almost the entire movie (Ashraf Barhom), we are given a sort of recap of the history of oil and in turn our relationship with Saudi Arabia, via stock footage, graphics, etc. It's a fantastic opener, I almost wanted to applaud it.
Luckily the rest of the film was just as compelling. After a multi-stage attack on Saudi soil that leaves several Americans dead, a group of American FBI agents (Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman) fly over to Saudi Arabia (without official permission from the FBI or the Saudi government) to investigate the bombing and try to find those responsible. They are aided by Colonel Al-Ghazi (Barhom), who at first seems to be trying to prevent them from doing their job but is in reality just trying to keep them from upsetting the wrong people. Eventually he aids their investigation and becomes a useful ally.
The most surprising thing about the movie is how short it is. It clocks in at under 1:45, which is unheard of for a political thriller. At one point a character is put in extreme jeopardy (think Daniel Pearl), and one would assume that he/she will perish, leading to a third act of "now it's personal" style action and suspense. Instead, we get a couple of quick surprises, and then bam! The movie is over (and ends on a truly chilling notion). But this is not a slight against the film, quite the opposite, it is a relief to see a film accomplish so much in a condensed time, rather than drag itself out. In fact, the film can almost be seen as having only two acts: The investigation and the action sequence (its a long sequence that rivals/surpasses any 'realistic' action sequence in modern history, combining a car chase, a shootout, and a rescue without ever resorting to Bruckheimer style superheroics). The car crash alone that begins the chase sequence tops anything Bay or Scott have done.
Berg has now provided us with 4 films, each one of the best modern examples of their respective subgenres. Very Bad Things (black comedy), The Rundown (buddy action), Friday Night Lights (sports drama) and now this (political thriller). So far each of his films has been better than the one before, a tradition that continues here (and then some - he may have topped himself here). The acting is top notch across the board, and surprising considering the subject matter, the film is often humorous (mostly Bateman's doing, but Foxx and Cooper have a few laugh out loud lines as well). You can't call the film "funny", but sort of like A Few Good Men, its a serious drama that manages to elicit more laughs than most actual comedies via well placed (and well delivered) off the cuff lines.
Call me a plant, fine, but this remains the only film I have seen at a test screening that I honestly had zero issues with. I even rated it excellent, which I've only done once before (for Knocked Up). See it for yourself in September and you'll know I was right.
BC
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are a way of life
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A dead baby in a clown costume!
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A dead baby in a clown costume sitting next to a dead baby with down syndrome!
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And she's on line 4, Edie Falco; she wants the 2003 Best Drama Series Actress Emmy back that you stole from her. :|
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ZOMG!
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Well put, reviewer. The preview I saw was a little too "constant garderer" esque (important dialogue, squalor, action, no explanation what the hell it's about) to know what to think. Looking foreward now.
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Poor Arrested Development, the trailer looks good. I'll probably see it.
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That "The Rundown" is one of the BEST buddy pics? Red Flag. Waving It.
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Well, if I didn't say it, someone would.
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that's just not right, man. That's as bad as "nappy-headed ho's" in my book. I hope you don't have kids.
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it's not the BEST buddy pic, but name 3 better ones in the last decade, please. Starsky and Hutch? Rush Hour? Shanghai Noon? Other Jackie Chan or Owen Wilson films?
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I don't have a Ferarri in my garage.
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Having the misfortune of stumbling across every one of your TB's is like having to read the journal entries of a retarded gangsta wannabe in the 4th grade.
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"Beaver!!"
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if you've lived in Arizona, Phoenix area, the entire film looks just like that, because it was filmed there. Well, a major set piece was, but watching the film in Sherman Oaks, and being a native Arizonan, it all looked like Arizona to me, definitely not the middle east(no Saguaro cactuses in the Middle East)
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so I HAVE to see it. Unfortunately, the highway chase scenes all look just like Santan Highway which kind of pull me out of the movie. I mean how can you get amped up for an action scene when their's a Chic-fil-A and a Wal-Mart just off the exit of the highway?
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did he threaten to pack up and go home because there were planes and guns in strange places?
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sorry...
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What's the difference between a truckload of sand and a truckload of dead babies?
Well, one you can use a pitch fork. -
Witty and crude? Well thats just a winner. Yanks and their dead baby jokes. Along with the US other high comedy concecpt Yo Mama, its no suprise nearly everyone one of your top comedians is Canadian. Now that IS funny!
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Hey there, can't wait for the movie. Does anyone know how big the part of Brooke Langton is? I guess, not too big, but still would be interested in some details. Anyway, thanks for any help. www.brookelangton.us
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Except for Doug Benson, Dave Chappelle, Jim Gaffigan, Lewis Black, Jon Stewart, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford, Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K., Chris Rock, Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Robin Williams...that's a lot of top Comedians who aren't Canadian. "Now that IS funny!"
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Seriously - why do so many slavishly fellate the sainted memory of Bill Hicks? The funniest thing about him was a long slow death of a disease caused by the cigarettes he loved so much.
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...got any more?
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...and is he really funny?
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...I mean don't get me wrong, I've always liked the guy as an actor, and he's proven a solid enough director too, but statements like "Berg has now provided us with 4 films, each one of the best modern examples of their respective subgenres" are pretty fucking far out there, especially when the other three films we're talking about are Very Bad Things, The Rundown and Friday Night Lights, none of which are bad films, but none of which are anywhere near great films either, let alone being the very best of their respective genres. Craziness. Anyway I'm looking forward to checking this out all the same when it hits regardless.
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"best MODERN examples" of their subgenres, i.e. in the past 10 years or so. So yeah, i totally agree: one of the best sports movies (of the past 10 years) was FNL, one of the best buddy comedies (of the past 10 years) was Rundown, etc.
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You actually made my point. I did say nearly all anyway. I wont hear a word against The Master Jon Stewart. Sarah Silverman is pretty funny too. Rest...meh!
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the trailer looked just pathetic, like SYRIANA for the mentally disabled
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September and February are the usual dumping grounds for studios to release their turds. Doesn't bode well for THE KINGDOM. Too bad.
For a good version of the same premise, rent SYRIANA. -
HATCHET
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