Kingdom of Silence

"Kingdom of Silence" (2020 release; 101 min.) is a documentary about the vicious murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi government. As the movie opens, we see some of the now infamous 2018 footage of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, where Jamal Khashoggi walks in but never exits. We then go back in time as a voice over retells Khashoggi's upbringing and his early days as a war journalist in Afghanistan in the 1980s where all forces combined to expel the Soviets. It's where Khashoggi gets to know Osama Bin Laden. Eventually Khoshaggi becomes a spokesperson at the Saudi Embassy in London, but then things take a turn... At this point we are 10 min, into this documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest work from Oscar-nominated documentarian Rick Rowley ("The Dirty Wars"). (Seemingly omni-resent Alex Gibney executive-produced this.) Here Rowley looks back at the life and times of Jamal Khashoggi, once an ally of and spokesperson for the Saudi royal family. Along the way we get a reminder of the complicated history and alliance between the US and Saudi Arabia, highlighted by 3 monumental events: the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s, 9/11, and the Arab Spring in 2011. Khashoggi was a close observer of those events. He was a "loyal" Saudi, and yet he ended up on the opposite side of the Saudi royal family. Why and how? Just watch. The last 30 min. of the documentary painstakingly reconstruct and detail the brazen and merciless murder of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Beware: the footage (video and audio) is not for the faint of heart. The fact that the Saudi authorities even dared to claim ignorance and innocence of it all is just all the more shocking.

"Kingdom of Silence" premiered this weekend on Showtime and is not available on SHO On Demand and other streaming services. If you have any interest in geopolitics in general, or how one country can blatantly murder a citizen of its own, all while abroad and without apparent fear of retribution, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

It's just that, trash. Journalists trying to hyperbolize their importance in the world. A world where journalists make billions of dollars faking news. Looks a lot like hollywood spoiling itself.

Death of J. Khashoggi by the "Saudi Crown Prince Salman acting like Putin." A family ruling with a history of censorship, arrests/killings of intellectuals, journalists, females & advocates for freedom, and joining policies similar to Russia & China. Further, Prince Salman financed the stopping of the Arab Spring (citizens of countries fighting for freedoms).

Note: Lawsuits by 9/11 surviving families against Saudi Arabia government & individuals for financing & supporting bin Laden, Al Qaeda & brethren was actively discouraged by U. S. government. "Political & economic reasons to maintain a relationship w/Saudi Arabia outweigh the death of one person.", says David Rundell diplomat to Saudi Arabia. Trump speaking on U. S. relations with the Saudis "It's 'American first' for me ... We're not going to give up hundreds of billions of dollars in orders (weapons), and let Russia & China have them." Note: He also praised Putin & North Korea's Kim Un, whom he had "fallen in love with." I wonder if Trump would sell out his country for a dollar?

As one that is well aware of the goings on of the Saudi Government and the attrocities it is inflicting on Yemen. I learnt little new details. However, when it is put together as they have in this well made documentary, You truly come to appreciate how CRUEL and CRIMINAL the current saudi royal family is especially Mister Bone Saw.

This documentary is masterfully done , it is a " Must watch " for it's quality editing and directing let alone the amazing soundtrack

That said this documentary perfectly captures the American - Saudi relations in the last century and not just what happened to one individual

and for those saying that the narrative is one sided or biased , well ... alive people tend to show up one way or another and it has been 3 years since Jamal walked in to the embassy so ,,,,

If he comes out next weekend , I will happy to have been proven wrong but in the mean while

" The sound of freedom and truth should ring loudly " and in my opinion this documentary is is a great place to start " .