The Kingdom

[Albereth]

Billed as an action/thriller but has some political issues.

Jamie Foxx, Jason Bateman, and Jennifer Garner star in a movie about a FBI team that travel to Saudi Arabia to investigate a terror bombing.

The plot line is very linear with no twists or turns. It is what it is. I suppose that there are some interesting character developments but all in all it is rather lame.

But I guess you are left with the question: Can modern policing techniques actually counter religious fundamentalism? To that extent did the movie need to be set in Saudi or would Waco, Texas have sufficed? A lot more topical to make out bads guys in SA, how do you tell them apart from the populace? Same question would hold for the homeland.

I am glad I saw it - it starts with a bang (very poor taste pun) and ends the same way.

And a lesson for terrorists - get a shorter speech for when you pose for TV.

[senorblinky]

Very interesting take on it Alb, i must say, i heartily agree. Everyone is fuelled by vengeance as it's amde apparent in the closing seconds.
It's a big, well made movie, i really thought it would be more political than it was, and i must say i'm pleased that it wasn't. It wasn't bad.

[Drusky]

I dislike Foxx dunno why musta been a bad movie somewhere along the line or I just don't like his face. I think I'll rather go see stardust.

[Albereth]

Stardust is awesome - one of the best movies this year.

But on Blinky's point about vengeance - seems like there is an immoveable object and an irresistable force.

Just a little aside - the FBI agent that gets killed in the big blast is Kyle Carter, the coach from Friday Night Lights and the teacher in the school right at the start is the girl friend of the injured QB from the same series.

[TG]

I have no desire to see this movie.
What Drusky said.

[rainy]

If the modern policing techniques are directed against the own citizens and not the threat from outside, they can never keep up with religious fundamentalists.

[senorblinky]

Is it just me, but to me it looked like more luck that methodology.

On the other hand, i'm getting gatvol of these War on Terror films (and to a very large extent Television shows), the yanks are getting like the south africans, they use terrorism, like we use Aids or Apartheid to motivate our cinema.

Granted, 24 is my favourite TV show, and it's CTU - Counter Terrorist Unit, but i think they are making these shows to scare the Yanks themselves, not so much for entertainment value. They're keeping them scared!

[Stool]

and dumb... real dumb

[senorblinky]

No argument there.

But ok, seriously, let's look at some TV shows inspired by terrorism;
1. 24
2. Threat Matrix
3. The Unit
4. Sleeper Cell
5. Jericho
6. John Doe (Ultimately trying to nail the "Phoenix" group
7. Kyle XY - Some form of domestic terrorism
8. Eureka - Just watched the first and second episode, bit to crappy for me.
9. Threshold - sure it's about aliens, but the context is still Aliens = Bad, be scared!
10. Alias
11. The Grid

Not to mention TV shows with underlying terrorism content
1. The West Wing
2. The Practice
3. Boston Legal
4. The Guardian
6. Jag

There are more, but i can't think of them now. Ultimately, wherever you turn, there is terror... Even a night out at the movies or an evening in front of the telly isn't relaxing anymore, due to the content you're letting in subconsciously.