The Kingdom HD DVD/DVD Combo (Peter Berg, 2007)

Universal (USA)
2.35:1 1080p
110 minutes
Audio: DD+ 5.1 English, DD+ 5.1 French
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French
Extras: U Control: The Mission Dossier; U Control: Picture-in-Picture; U Control: Character by Character (The Apartment Shootout); audio commentary by Peter Berg; deleted scenes (HD); Constructing the Freeway Sequence; Creating The Kingdom; The Mission Dossier: Surveillance (HD); History of The Kingdom: An Interactive Timeline; Internet connectivity features

Released: 23 December 2007
HD DVD case
20 chapters

I took a pass on watching The Kingdom in a movie theatre as it looked like another loud, brain-dead action movie. Well, the movie is certainly loud, but it’s not brain-dead. Surprisingly for a mainstream vehicle with many big-name stars (Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner), this one isn’t afraid to push sensitive buttons about the United States’s relationship with Saudi Arabia. The terrorist attacks and action set pieces are played for “real” with a minimal amount of sensationalism, and the American FBI team manages to think its way out of metaphorical handcuffs instead of resorting to the usual “My way or the highway” swaggering. The ending is rather unnerving, suggesting that both modern governments and radical extremists see zero-sum scenarios as the most-likely outcomes of the war on terror.

Video:
The sun-bleached desert vistas could’ve been a nightmare to behold, but instead, we get a very sharp, clean and vibrant 2.35:1 1080p video transfer. While the camerawork is jittery, this movie’s visual style is not as extreme as The Bourne Ultimatum’s. Therefore, the detail and clarity impart a visual “pop” that helps you feel like you’re in the same environs as the actors.

Audio:
While Universal opted not to grant The Kingdom a Dolby TrueHD option on HD DVD, the DD+ 5.1 English track packs quite a wallop. Directionality effects are as plentiful and aggressive as one would expect from a recent contemporary action film. Dialogue and localization are always intelligible and accurate. Bass response is a tad less powerful than I expected, but I’m grateful that I didn’t have to fidget with my remote control’s volume buttons all the time.

You can also watch the movie with a DD+ 5.1 French dub. Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

Extras:
This is a very packed release that easily outclasses the already impressive stand-alone DVD.

There are three U Control extras. “The Mission Dossier” provides informative text and graphics, giving viewers background information about the Middle East as well as the movie’s diegesis. “Picture-in-Picture” is a video stream of interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. “Character by Character (The Apartment Shootout)” allows you to follow an action sequence from different characters’ perspectives. (“Character by Character” is presented as a collection of alternate takes on the DVD side.)

The various U Control extras will occupy most viewers for some time, but the immersion continues with an informative audio commentary by director Peter Berg. Although Berg can be a bit Michael-Bay-ish when enthusing about his action scenes, he is able to convey the difficult realities of filming with Arab actors and in the Middle East.

Next up are several good (but understandably) deleted scenes.

“Constructing the Freeway Sequence” is a detailed look at the different elements that comprised a key moment in the movie’s final act.

“Creating The Kingdom” is a multi-part documentary that covers most aspects of the production, though post-production is neglected.

“The Mission Dossier: Surveillance” is an extension of the U Control extra of the same name. You’re given several graphics panels that represent different action sequences. Clicking on them yields animatics-like breakdowns of the various fight participants and location information.

“History of The Kingdom: An Interactive Timeline” is a simple brief on the history of Saudi Arabia.

If your HD DVD player is connected to the Internet, then you can access Universal’s HD DVD portal for downloadable video clips.

--Miscellaneous--
An insert booklet explains how to use the HD DVD’s interactive functions.

The DVD side of this combo disc is identical to the stand-alone widescreen DVD. The DVD specs are 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen video; DD 5.1 English, Spanish, & French audio; English SDH, Spanish, & French subtitles; the extras on the HD DVD side minus The Mission Dossier, U Control, & Internet connectivity; and previews for other movies.