Comments on: Review of ‘The Kingdom’ http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:40:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Colette http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-11421 Colette Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:11:09 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-11421 Thankyou for clearing up some questions i had about Saudi Arabia. I can't help but be a little sad about conflicts between our two countries. I'm glad there are people like you who really can clear things up. Thankyou for clearing up some questions i had about Saudi Arabia. I can’t help but be a little sad about conflicts between our two countries. I’m glad there are people like you who really can clear things up.

]]> By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-5886 John Burgess Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:27:47 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-5886 I agree! The film wasn't a documentary, but it had a 'poetic truth' beyond what a documentary could have shown. It wasn't perfect: accents and vocabulary were off at times; the settings weren't actually Saudi Arabia, but sets in Dubai and Arizona. But it still captured the reality better than anything else I've ever seen in an American film. I agree! The film wasn’t a documentary, but it had a ‘poetic truth’ beyond what a documentary could have shown. It wasn’t perfect: accents and vocabulary were off at times; the settings weren’t actually Saudi Arabia, but sets in Dubai and Arizona. But it still captured the reality better than anything else I’ve ever seen in an American film.

]]> By: al-Aramkawi http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-5885 al-Aramkawi Sat, 20 Oct 2007 20:19:54 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-5885 I liked the Kingdom so much I saw it twice. It has such an accurate look and feel of Saudi Arabia I had to double dip back into the atmosphere where I grew up and worked. In scene after scene I kept saying, "Yes that's just the way it is and just they way people are." Barhoum Salih is astonishing as Col. Ghazi. The moving scene of he and his family praying touched me in its portrayal of the devotional dimension of his character, reminding me of the deceny of the Saudi people as a whole. It is thrilling to see a Saudi as a hero in any film. Particularly, in one dealing with Muslim terrorists. I hope a lot of people will see it and revise their ideas about Saudis. Thanks to Abu Khamisah for turning me on to the Kindom! I liked the Kingdom so much I saw it twice. It has such an accurate look and feel of Saudi Arabia I had to double dip back into the atmosphere where I grew up and worked. In scene after scene I kept saying, “Yes that’s just the way it is and just they way people are.” Barhoum Salih is astonishing as Col. Ghazi. The moving scene of he and his family praying touched me in its portrayal of the devotional dimension of his character, reminding me of the deceny of the Saudi people as a whole. It is thrilling to see a Saudi as a hero in any film. Particularly, in one dealing with Muslim terrorists. I hope a lot of people will see it and revise their ideas about Saudis.

Thanks to Abu Khamisah for turning me on to the Kindom!

]]> By: The Kingdom - Is it worth your time? « Friends Seminary - The Making of the Middle East http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4890 The Kingdom - Is it worth your time? « Friends Seminary - The Making of the Middle East Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:22:49 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4890 [...] plan on seeing it.  In the meantime, I’ve been reading some reviews of the movie.  John Burgess has the most positive review on his blog Crossroads Arabia.  His final comment on the movie: If you’re looking for a film that bashes Saudis or the [...] [...] plan on seeing it.  In the meantime, I’ve been reading some reviews of the movie.  John Burgess has the most positive review on his blog Crossroads Arabia.  His final comment on the movie: If you’re looking for a film that bashes Saudis or the [...]

]]> By: Selwa Blog » Blog Archive » The Kingdom Opens Tonight http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4313 Selwa Blog » Blog Archive » The Kingdom Opens Tonight Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:26:00 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4313 [...] Burgess at Crossroads Arabia has an excellent review of the movie that is all the more thoughtful for his personal experience in [...] [...] Burgess at Crossroads Arabia has an excellent review of the movie that is all the more thoughtful for his personal experience in [...]

]]> By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4309 John Burgess Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:08:15 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4309 <em>Two</em> Saudi cops, in my book. Two Saudi cops, in my book.

]]> By: Abu Khamisah http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4305 Abu Khamisah Thu, 27 Sep 2007 03:29:47 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4305 The Kingdom is an exciting, action and mayhem packed police thriller that is at times more subtle than I would have expected from a movie aimed at a young American male demographic. The production values are solid throughout, but some of the scenes and characters are uneven. The front story in Washington DC is cliched and tedious exposition and I wanted someone, anyone - American or Saudi, to kil Jason Bateman as soon as he appeared. However, for all of its virtues and flaws, The Kingdom has achieved something most remarkable. Ashraf Barhom in the role of Colonel Al-Ghazi steals the movie from Jamie Foxx and creates a character on the par of Alan Ladd in Shane or Jimmy Stewart in Liberty Valance. For the first time in the history of American movies, the hero is a Saudi cop. The Kingdom is an exciting, action and mayhem packed police thriller that is at times more subtle than I would have expected from a movie aimed at a young American male demographic. The production values are solid throughout, but some of the scenes and characters are uneven. The front story in Washington DC is cliched and tedious exposition and I wanted someone, anyone – American or Saudi, to kil Jason Bateman as soon as he appeared.

However, for all of its virtues and flaws, The Kingdom has achieved something most remarkable. Ashraf Barhom in the role of Colonel Al-Ghazi steals the movie from Jamie Foxx and creates a character on the par of Alan Ladd in Shane or Jimmy Stewart in Liberty Valance. For the first time in the history of American movies, the hero is a Saudi cop.

]]> By: The Glittering Eye http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4235 The Glittering Eye Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:47:23 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4235 [...] Please take note of John Burgess’s excellent review of the movie, The Kingdom, which appears in a slightly expanded form at John’s blog, Crossroads Arabia. [...] [...] Please take note of John Burgess’s excellent review of the movie, The Kingdom, which appears in a slightly expanded form at John’s blog, Crossroads Arabia. [...]

]]> By: Star Sightings » Blog Archive » Review of ‘The Kingdom’ http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/comment-page-1/#comment-4231 Star Sightings » Blog Archive » Review of ‘The Kingdom’ Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:39:56 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/09/23/review-of-the-kingdom/#comment-4231 [...] A cool person wrote an interesting post todayHere’s a quick excerpt:Played by Jeremy Piven—you already know he’s going to be a spineless jerk with this casting-to-type—the character seeks only to have problems go away and has no interest in solving them. He projects PC-ness run amok. … [...] [...] A cool person wrote an interesting post todayHere’s a quick excerpt:Played by Jeremy Piven—you already know he’s going to be a spineless jerk with this casting-to-type—the character seeks only to have problems go away and has no interest in solving them. He projects PC-ness run amok. … [...]

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