Film Review: King Saud
A B-Movie Mystery That Flirts with Disaster—and Wins

King Saud is a Hollywood murder mystery that feels like it was made on a shoestring budget with ambitions too big for its britches—and that’s precisely its charm. This is the kind of B-movie you stumble upon late at night, only to find yourself inexplicably hooked, wading through melodramatic performances, erratic pacing, and convoluted subplots. Yet, somehow, it all works—or at least, it keeps you watching.

The plot follows two LA detectives, Lynch (Kate Orsini) and Wolfe (Mark Toma), as they investigate the murder of a Saudi prince in the Hollywood Hills. What begins as a routine case spirals into a labyrinth of high-end prostitution, international intrigue, and the dark roots of Middle Eastern terrorism. Throw in a sinister assistant with an agenda of his own, a corrupt precinct captain pulling strings from the shadows, and an explosive, ill-advised workplace affair, and you’ve got a film that’s equal parts noir thriller and camp spectacle.

Let’s be clear: King Saud isn’t going to win any awards for its performances. Toma’s Wolfe is every bit the grizzled, lawless detective archetype, but his delivery feels more like a parody of the genre than a genuine effort to sell it. Orsini’s Lynch fares slightly better, injecting some emotional depth into her role as the haunted undercover detective. But the real standout is Mike Saad as Al Mahir, the eccentric assistant whose flamboyant, sinister presence steals every scene he’s in. Is he playing it over the top on purpose? It’s hard to say, but it’s impossible to look away.

What King Saud lacks in polish, it makes up for in sheer audacity. The script is an overstuffed tangle of ideas, from scathing commentary on systemic corruption to a subplot involving the homophobic Wolfe being taunted by Al Mahir’s queer rebellion. At times, it feels like the film is throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks—and, surprisingly, some of it does.

The dialogue alternates between clunky exposition and moments of unintentional hilarity, as when Wolfe growls, “The system’s bleeding, and I’m the Band-Aid,” or Lynch monologues about the metaphorical ghosts of her past while the camera lingers dramatically on a half-empty bottle of whiskey. It’s borderline absurd, but it’s also part of the fun.

Director Mark Toma clearly set out to make a film with something to say, and while the execution is uneven at best, there’s an earnestness to King Saud that’s hard to dismiss. The film tackles themes of societal rage, systemic collapse, and personal redemption with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, but it’s this very lack of finesse that makes it compelling.

King Saud isn’t a great movie, but it has a few moments. It’s the kind of film that thrives on its imperfections, leaning into its B-movie status with gusto. It’s messy, melodramatic, and occasionally nonsensical, but it’s also strangely captivating. There’s value in mysteries, after all—even the ones that make you question how they got made in the first place.

The Verdict?  If you’re a fan of B-movies that walk the fine line between bad and brilliant, King Saud is worth a watch. It may not hold up to scrutiny, but it delivers enough intrigue, unintentional humor, and over-the-top drama to keep you entertained. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.