Say what you will about the situation in the Middle East, but THE KINGDOM -- taking its name as the shortened version for "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" -- is mostly just set there; it's a U.N.-sensibility cop drama -- one fish out of water while the other fish knows the pond all too well -- that delivers one smokin' knock-out punch opener (pun intended), some pretty taut action sequences, and acceptable if not predictable acting performances. Jamie Foxx … more
Background: Once upon a time, the government of Saudi Arabia granted permission for an American company to dig some exploratory holes around the country. As luck would have it, instead of water they found oil, and lots of it, and so began the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco.) This discovery and the resulting agreements for profit sharing gave the Saudi monarchy the wherewithal to purchase yachts with gold toilets and other such necessities, but also brought about the … more