Why Does This Movie Get No Respect?

I'll be the first to say I am NOT a fan of Leo Dicaprio. Literally, ever since I watched Titanic and failed to see what the big fuss was about.

However, I have to say this movie was pretty good. It should have done much, much better here &I'm not sure why that didn't happen. I think it's a bit weird that it almost doubled it's ticket sales overseas, since it's so obviously a US themed film in war time.

Honestly, whoever marketed this thing must have dropped the ball. Maybe the studio had another film coming out and decided to put all their resources behind that instead of this one..?

I thought it was pretty good myself. I suspect it's lack of success was down to Russell Crowe's waistline and a probably perception that it was un-American. Also, how dare the wily Jordanians, who are Arabs after all, outwit both the Americans by playing them at their own game. It's interesting that it was made a few years ago now but given the frequency of drone attacks in the news these days it's almost prescient.

The movie didn't draw me in. It was boring and it didn't make me care about any of the characters or what the outcome of the story was going to be. It was also needlessly complex. When I am bored, I tend to lose interest in following a fairly intricate plot line. Halfway through I didn't know what was going on and didn't care either. I wanted to see everyone in it blown up and killed.

The other problem is any movie coming out of Hollywood that has to do with Islam (or anything else for that matter) is going to make Americans look bad. That has become boilerplate. This basically eliminates a large segment of the potential audience who would otherwise be interested in a film like this. They tend to be patriotic folks who have no desire to pay money only to see their country denigrated. That would explain the lower grosses in the US.

DiCaprio is at his peak in 2006 personnally,The departed and BD,here he´s just very good. Maybe cause he put the bar so high for himself or the character doesn´t go from this to that. Crowe really surprised with a great nsymphatic uperformance....but before Mark Strong very quickly become a one-dimensional baddie in like 10 films,he did this one. As a good guy. His role as Hani is superb and he does steal the show. And in a smaller role,Oscar Isaac also impresses. Love the persian cutie.

This film has a pretty good rating here,although I just missed it. It is a film worthy of respect and nominations it didn´t get. Cinematography especially.

It´s all about taste,the plot is on paper nothing special but Monahans script is very smart and believable. Scotts execution is flawless....but you know,everyone expects Gladiator every frickin´ time. Kingdom of heavens original long version for instance is a really great film and would probably be more praised if the director was his brother or someone less legendary.

DiCaprio is at his peak in 2006 personnally,The departed and BD,here he´s "just" great instead of electrifying. Maybe cause he put the bar so high for himself or the character doesn´t go from this to that. Crowe really surprised with a great unsymphatic uperformance....but before Mark Strong very quickly become a one-dimensional baddie in like 10 films,he did this one. As a good guy. His role as Hani is superb and he does steal the show. And in a smaller role,Oscar Isaac also impresses. Love the persian cutie.

It is a film worthy of respect,7.6 minimum(I give it 8) and nominations it didn´t get. Cinematography especially.

It´s all about taste,the plot is on paper nothing special but Monahans script is very smart and believable. Scotts execution is flawless....but you know,everyone expects Gladiator every frickin´ time. Kingdom of heavens original long version for instance is a really great film and would probably be more praised if the director was his brother or someone less legendary.

Personally, I thought the screenplay was extremely flawed. It may be the worst film of Crowe & DiCaprio's careers. Very disappointing film.. My rating = 5/10

It's a very effective spy movie, with excellent performances and taut direction. I have no idea why some people failed to connect with it.

And at the very least, it shows very clearly how satellite technology allows people thousands of miles away to observe action on the ground in real time and at apparently close quarters, and thus to call the shots, taking much of the initiative away from local agents.

Maybe there wasn't enough James Bond-style fantasy here to suit most fans of this genre.

I think it is a combination of a few things mentioned on here. Poor marketing, a sense that it was not an American film (really only Scott could get away with that title) and other trivial matters that affect the simple yet fickle domestic US audience. Ironically two Americans and a Jordanian are played by 3 actors of Italian descent.

It is however, as you would expect from Scott, a well made film and is captivating to those willing/able to understand/follow it. The fact that the two main characters are constantly on the phone was initially annoying and does make it hard to absorb the plot/dialogue (also the casual way crucial points are discussed). As the OP mentioned though it is a true reflection of the world we live in. A world where you take your kid to school/toilet whilst coordinating an anti-terrorist strike half the world away via your hands free Nokia. I feel this to be the most realistic film of a recent glut in this category and given it was released before the Obama Administration it was also prophetic about how drones would soon cease to be a novelty.

CIA-Terrorist Movies Ranked in Order of Realism:

1. Body of Lies
2. Syriana
3. Rendition
4. The Kingdom
5. Zero Dark Thirty