Desert Warrior, the latest film from director Rupert Wyatt (Captive State), takes the viewer back to the seventh century, when a legendary Arab bandit, Hanzala (Anthony Mackie, Captain America: Brave New World), and the Princess Hind (Aiysha Hart, Salvable) unite their tribes to take on the newly appointed Emperor Kisra (Ben Kingsley, Deep Water). With the emperor’s army closing in, led by the ruthless Jalabzeen (Sharlto Copley, Beast), Hanzala and Hind must rally all who would oppose the emperor as Kisra sets out to capture the princess and make her his concubine. Inevitably, the two armies close in for a showdown that will decide the fate of the Arabian plains.
Desert Warrior does in fact deliver on its promise to deliver a grand, final battle (in some ways, at least), with energetic fight choreography, as well as some vivid special effects. There is perpetually a sense of grand scale, much in the vein of Lawrence of Arabia, though without its details or mise-en-scène. A packed ensemble helps electrify many scenes, and with a healthy dose of violent action Wyatt’s final showdown delivers on the built tension.
Leading up to the film’s final battle, however, there are problematic storytelling conventions, in the sense that Desert Warrior introduces characters by the book, with less-than-motivated writing. Everyone is introduced through the plainest delivery, wasting the talents of Mackie and Kingsley and the rest of the cast. Wyatt’s film never slows itself down enough to explore its characters, breezing from person to person without stopping to give the viewer time to connect to them. By the time we arrive at the film’s final battle, we as the viewer are quite bored, having been able to predict where the plot was going for some time. I almost felt like I had seen a retelling of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End play out in front of me, at times.
While Wyatt’s new film may not succeed in inspiring the viewer to search for any deeper meaning, Desert Warrior captures a unique time period on screen, and many of the aesthetics and designs in themselves ring as distinctive. The film tells its story simply, delivering its message straight on the nose and asking the viewer to sit back and have a good time. While it never seeks to reach more in-depth and thought-provoking heights, for what it is, Desert Warrior succeeds in making us cheer for the heroes, root against the bad guys, and clap our hands to a great big battle as a reward for our time.
Adam Vaughn
Adam Vaughn is a graduate of the Film & Moving Image program at Stevenson University, with a focus in Cinematography and Production. He also has a minor in Theater and Media Performance. Adam works as a freelance photographer and videographer, focusing his craft on creating compelling photographic and cinematic imagery. Adam is excited to join the Film Festival Today team and explore the world of cinema and visual arts.