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Jamie Foxx, ‘The Kingdom’ to rock the fall season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of the first knock-head films of the fall, Jamie Foxx’s “The Kingdom,” which won’t debut in theaters until Sept. 28, explodes with so much riveting action moviegoers will wonder whether the summer season is actually over.
Set in Saudi Arabia, “Kingdom” opens with a blistering terrorist assault on an American family compound there. Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman play FBI agents who worm their way politically into Saudi Arabia to help investigate the attack and hunt down the perpetrators.
Director Peter Berg, who also has a small acting role in “Kingdom,” has been building his career upon bankable, worthy films like the entertaining “The Rundown” and the dramatic “Friday Night Lights.”
With “Kingdom,” Berg’s hit his stride. He fuses the gripping action with alternating moments of tender emotion, allowing moviegoers to more deeply connect with his characters.
When “Kingdom” does arrive in theaters, here’s what moviegoers will likely be talking about:
The action: Each time it comes it is quick, builds in waves and is peppered with surprising moments. The initial attacks definitely grab an audience’s attention. The film’s final burst of action is a long, intricate sequence that begins with a highway car bomb and escalates into a vehicle chase and street fight with bullets and missiles before culminating in an apartment house gunbattle.
The cinematography: Like Berg’s demonstrated in his previous films, he likes discoloration, blurred effects and a frequently moving camera. It’s not as jittery a camera as in “The Bourne Ultimatum,” but the jerky cinematography conveys heightened realism.
Jennifer Garner: She gets the best gun, knife and fist fight in the film. And its brutality is shocking.
Jamie Foxx and his in-joke: The Oscar-winning actor is solid and has been needing an ultra-positive, satisfying action film to counter the disappointing “Stealth” and “Miami Vice.” He also gives a little shoutout to family and friends. In one scene he’s explaining how a nasty bit of news will not only rock major cities but cause waves in places like Omaha and Terrell, Texas. That last place just happens to be Foxx’s real-life hometown.
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Bob Longino
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By Liz
August 16, 2007 9:38 AM | Link to this
I was at the screener last night and agree completely. This was the first movie in awhile that I felt the need to encourage others to see.
By lisi28
August 16, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
I agree too. It is raw and sucks you in from start to finish. The cast is phenomenal. This is definitely a movie to see in the theaters.
By Dottie Mathews
August 16, 2007 11:05 AM | Link to this
well i’m a die hard Jamie Foxx fan. (actually, i got the hotmonkeylove for him! lol!) but i seen the previews of this movie and yeah, it is gripping, riviting and it will have you gripping the arms on your seat. the intense energy reminds me of the movie “Speed”. And of course seeing Jamie in a suit is good too. so i’m looking forward to this one as i do all his films. But i have to agree “Stelph” sucked (but Jamie looked good in that uniform! lol!)
By Dottie Mathews
August 16, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this
well i’m a die hard Jamie Foxx fan. (actually, i got the hotmonkeylove for him! lol!) but i seen the previews of this movie and yeah, it is gripping, riviting and it will have you gripping the arms on your seat. the intense energy reminds me of the movie “Speed”. And of course seeing Jamie in a suit is good too. so i’m looking forward to this one as i do all his films. But i have to agree “Stelph” sucked (but Jamie looked good in that uniform! lol!)
By John DeVille
August 16, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this
I’m a die “HARD” luva of Jamie Foxx too. I want to pull on his Hot Monkey.
By John DeVille
August 16, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this
I’m a die “HARD” luva of Jamie Foxx too. I want to pull on his Hot Monkey.
By Thomas Allen
August 16, 2007 3:28 PM | Link to this
Good afternoon. I try my best to read your reviews every week and I’ll say that I am an avid movie buff myself (a bug that I caught living in Los Angeles for 6 years) and I have been wanting to catch the advance screenings. Is there a special “A” list you have to be on?