Desert Warrior has been in production purgatory for almost five years. Finally rescued by Vertical Entertainment, which seems to be the only way studios release films nowadays, off the scrap heap, principal photography wrapped in 2022. The director jumped on and off the project multiple times over creative differences, and the film underwent more rewrites than a White House press release.
Even more unusual, the film was released with little fanfare and even less marketing, debuting last Friday in only a handful of late-night time slots. As the largest production in Saudi Arabia’s film industry history, ballooning to over $150 million, it’s hard to believe an action-adventure picture like Desert Warrior couldn’t find a backer to give it a proper send-off, especially with the amount of content being made for streaming.
So yes, as I walked into my theater, with, count them, only one other patron at an 8:30 p.m. Friday night showing, I was hoping for a dumpster fire of massive proportions. Instead, I was entertained by a final third act that featured a well-known Marvel actor, bloodthirsty Hyenas, vicious Elephant tanks, and, for some reason, everyone speaking English in seventh-century Arabia.
In a way, it’s meant simply to entertain, nothing more, nothing less, an experience to take your mind off your troubles. At its core, isn’t that what a good, old-fashioned epic adventure film is all about?
The story follows Hanzala (Anthony Mackie), a bandit who moves in and out of sacred lands with a price on his head. At one point, he sees a man walking across the desert who collapses from Lawrence-of-Arabia–type heat. He offers the man, King Al-Numan (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’s Ghassan Massoud), water, who then begs Hanzala to help him and his daughter, Princess Hind (Aiysha Hart of the upcoming The Thomas Crown Affair).
Initially, Hanzala refuses, hearing and seeing their captors closing in. That would be Commander Jalabzeen (Sharlto Copley), who is under Emperor Kisra II’s (Ben Kingsley) orders. Which is what, you ask? He demands that all women in the royal kingdom be handed over to become his concubine. Al-Numan offers Hanzala his jeweled, encrusted dagger and forty-pieces of gold. All he has to do is get them to Chief Hani’s (Sami Bouajila) territory.
Once there, Hani refuses to hand over Hind, and everyone’s loyalty is tested.
Desert Warrior was directed by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Gambler). Working from a script that went through multiple rewrites, the film struggles to find its footing when Mackie is the focal point of the action-adventure. However, by the middle of the second act, it shifts its focus to Hart’s Princess Hind—and is much better for it. This change, where Mackie becomes a supporting player, is far more interesting.
Hart is magnetic and spectacular in the role. You simply cannot take your eyes off of her. Yet, it’s about the power Hart commands in her performance, not for her obvious beauty. For all its big-budget glitz and glamour, the movie is almost a carbon copy of the white savior trope. Except here, Mackie plays “outsider” with no real allegiance. Even when the MCU star is at the center of the story, the film is never boring, always entertaining.
Mackie gives general audiences something to hang their hats on. The film wastes too much time on repetitive community squabbles. As a result, attempts are made to establish connections among the affected lands. Let us also talk about Kingsley. His flashbacks seem to serve only to highlight the presence of an Oscar winner in the cast. The movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but it does enough to keep the viewer engaged.
Yet, once Desert Warrior reaches its enthralling third act, a spectacular and often surprising battle sequence based on the legend of the Battle of Dhi Qar makes Wyatt’s film the epic adventure it sets out to be. There are so many films in the genre that lack substance and depth. Most, more often than not, offer no real emotional weight, insight, or originality. Even worse, they feel stagnant and drag on endlessly.
Yet, what Wyatt’s film does well is structure, production value, and entertaining turns, all seen through a unique feminist lens. Not to mention Marty Supreme’s Géza Röhrig, a true chameleon with an intimidating teeth-grind, leaves a lasting impression. Desert Warrior’s entertainment value far outweighs its genre and trope flaws, more than most films in its category. Ignore the infamous noise and immerse yourself in an enthralling sword-and-sand spectacle that delivers old-fashioned adventure you can’t help but get swept up in.
You can watch Desert Warrior exclusively in theaters starting April 24th!
Ignore the infamous noise and immerse yourself in an enthralling sword-and-sand spectacle that delivers old-fashioned adventure you can’t help but get swept up in.
I am a film and television critic and a proud member of the Las Vegas Film Critic Society, Critics Choice Association, and a 🍅 Rotten Tomatoes/Tomato meter approved. However, I still put on my pants one leg at a time, and that’s when I often stumble over. When I’m not writing about movies, I patiently wait for the next Pearl Jam album and pass the time by scratching my wife’s back on Sunday afternoons while she watches endless reruns of California Dreams. I was proclaimed the smartest reviewer alive by actor Jason Isaacs, but I chose to ignore his obvious sarcasm. You can also find my work on InSession Film, Ready Steady Cut, Hidden Remote, Music City Drive-In, Nerd Alert, and Film Focus Online.
