Out this week in the UK is Black Gold, here is Teri’s review of the film
With the brilliant There Will Be Blood in mind and the prospect of a similar tale set on the vibant backdrop of 1930s Arabia, I entered into Black Gold with excitement and just the barest hint of trepidation; something that fizzled out almost immediately. I never thought a film about oil – with all of its politics and riches – could be so tedious and long-winded. French director Jean-Jacques Annaud’s most recent turn is wordy and convoluted – it’s a big budget movie with little heart or head in its centre.
Annauld has gone for epic here – the story centers around two young brothers brought up by their father’s rival, testing their loyalty during the catalyst of the oil boom. It’s long and it’s tiresome, overridden by beautiful but unnecessary lingering shots of sand covered landscapes that omit from the bloody action that serves it better in other scenes. It feels slight and traditional – the mix of drama and schlocky humour brings to mind more classic fare like Lawrence of Arabia but skimps short on the glory and brilliance that films like that had because they were of their time; Black Gold does not feel modern.
The cast is a problem. God knows I love him, but Antonio Banderas’ bombastic acting and wobbly accent (with traces of Puss In Boots) rIvals Prince of Persia in its silliness and his fellow stars – a mixture of European, Indian, American, Tunisian, Ethiopian, and seemingly everything but Saudi – are really let down by poor direction where money has overruled head. Tahar Rahim can’t even save it; as lovely as he is to look at, there’s little substance behind the shy, bookish son who is constantly overshadowed by his greedy, and quite frankly ridiculous guardian (Banderas).
If uber-classic is your thing and you’re looking to wile away a few long hours (and they will feel very long) immersed in a sandy fantasy land where nothing feels really real, then Black Gold is your answer.
About The Author – Teri Williams
Teri is a former film student from Edinburgh and currently works in book publishing in London. She is a fan of bad taste films, horror, fantasy, science fiction and vintage teen comedy and has been described by her friends as a “proper nerd” and a human imdb. She can be found speaking nonsense under the twitter name @msenidcoleslaw and scribbling similar nonsense on her blog Enid’s Revenge
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24 Feb 2012, 7:16 pm
Seems this one doesn’t live up to its expectations. What a shame
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24 Feb 2012, 8:52 pm
I was curious about this one and I’ve always liked Mark Strong. Eh, I might rent it but keep my expectation in check. Thanks Teri.
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24 Feb 2012, 10:03 pm
I’ve done a number of spotlights on the film over at my place and I’m very excited to see it. I generally love Annaud’s work and the cast seems interesting, although I do have reservations towards Antonio’s performance as you also mentioned in your review. And I also heard Freida is cold and lifeless in it as always. However, I’ve heard many good reviews on the film and will definitely watch it.
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25 Feb 2012, 11:44 am
Oh dear, it doesn’t sound like it’s worth a watch. Great review though, thanks for the heads up!
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26 Feb 2012, 11:13 am
Will be giving this one a miss. I was put off by Film 2012′s review and now Teri has hit the nail into that coffin!
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01 Mar 2012, 1:05 am
I had been looking forward to this one since it was first announced, and am disappointed to hear that it didn’t pan out too well. Thanks for the head’s up!
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