the kingdom.

this evening, after a long day of sorting TONS of toys, eating far too much mexican food, and internet-conversating with one of my favorite contemporary indian authors, the roommate, a friend, and i sat down to watch the Kingdom.

WOW. while it only scored a 4/5 on the raman ratings scale for it's action adventure storyline (+ very well done production, directing, acting by all involved), i was even MORE VERY impressed with the underlying premise/themes of the movie: (1) the vicious cycles of both supply + demand (of oil between the US + the mideast), and more importantly, (2) the spiraling hate-hate relationship of two conflicting cultures/ideologies (the west + Islam).

the former (1) is best summed up in the opening credits:

and the latter (2) the vicious spiral of hate between conflicting ideologies, is best summed up in the final frames of the film, when (SPOILER ALERT, highlight to read): when the story's characters, on opposite sides (of the world and ideology), in Washington DC + Riyadh, are asked what was whispered to comfort each respective party at the death of their loved ones (at the hand of the "enemies"): "We're going to kill them all."
(END SPOILERS) and that put a pin in it for me. is there a cycle to end the hatred (which has years of socioeconomic complexities + interventions interwoven, for better or worse)? upon the film's end, my friend Rob cited the following quote, which gave me some comfort:

The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it...
Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate....
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

-Dr. Martin Luther King

were it only that easy.


oh, and Jeremy Piven plays an outstanding supporting role as a high-strung guy in a suit, a role for which he is perfectly suited. anyhow, on an even lighter note...

it took me awhile to find a version of the above opening sequence to embed. but while doing so, i came across another fantastic (and fan-created) film opening sequence, which made raman very happy. enjoy: