Black Gold

R

2011

2 hr. 10 min.

Drama

List

11%

27 Reviews

Tomatometer

52%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the early 20th century, an emir (Antonio Banderas) and a sultan (Mark Strong) fight over rights to oil exploration in the Arabian Peninsula.

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Elvis D

Esta épica historia de un joven príncipe que se ve involucrado en la lucha por el control del petróleo, es una epopeya centrada en un momento de la historia donde el control por el petróleo ha generado un conflicto político y cultural en las tierras árabes. La película ofrece una historia fascinante, pero es difícil tomársela con emoción debido al tedioso ritmo del guion. Es una película muy bien producida con una buena dirección y buenos actores. Lo conflictivo es la manera en que se ejecutó el guion debido a que hay algunas cosas que no son del todo claras y se vuelven incomprensibles. Ni siquiera está del todo claro la decisión de Auda sobre tomar la decisión de comandar el ejército de su padre. Incluso respeto a las tribus que se van uniendo, es claro que faltaba mencionar la conexión de ellos con los reinos del emir y el sultan. Hay mucho que faltaba aclarar o mencionar haciendo que esta película generé un par de cuestiones. Lo fascinante es la cuestión de como la industria del petróleo ha generado un efecto en la política y la cultura de las tierras árabes y eso es algo que se podría haber explorado más a fondo. Or Noir es indudablemente una película con una gran historia épica, pero con un sabor amargo. Mi calificación final para esta película es un 7/10.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/17/23

Full Review

Bomb C

Mark Strong is always great to watch - he could play anything. I see a lot of "have Arabs play Arabs in movies" - I think it is wrong to deny playable parts to excellent actors who wish to challenge their range of acting. I think "cultural appropriation" is a term invented to segregate, not bring us together. Culture is what we say it is - it is how we act and behave and change throughout our lives while living with one another. To guard that so fiercely as to hold back our growth as a people - as humanity - it is an injustice to the human race. What is your culture today could be my culture tomorrow - and as we grow and live amongst one another - it could become our culture into the future. Let actors act - let them play roles they wish to play. Let them challenge themselves. I, for one, would be very interested in watching Arabs play Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday in an old timey Western - and I wouldn't be offended in the slightest.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This movie is a lot better then rated. It shows the play for Arab oil and some of their culture.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great film. Enjoyed it tremendously. Not sure how accurate it is in cultural norms and acceptable exceptions (as regards the children regularly disobeying adults and whether that would ever be culturally accepted or merely of western influence), but Rahim, Pinto, and Ahmed create wonderfully personable and real characters, while, of course, the dads, Bandaras and Strong, play the villains. Some critics speak of clunky dialogue and slow development, but I saw none of that. I thoroughly enjoyed the film start to finish, seeing Rahim's character grow into the roll of leader, reluctant yet brimming with magnetic qualities that attract followers with ease. Great adventure and lesson in life, how tradition and doctrine oft times fails, as humans in the moment, unpredictable and unique, must discover and create their own paths. Great film and great lesson

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Great movie Beautiful movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/22

Full Review

Audience Member

A great occasion that could show something more interesting on the born of some important families of the petro-area, maybe more historic, just wasted with a bad war movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

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Jean-Jacques Annaud

Director

Tahar Rahim

Auda

Antonio Banderas

Nesib

Mark Strong

Amar

Freida Pinto

Leyla

Riz Ahmed

Ali

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Andy Webster

New York Times

A far, far cry from "Lawrence of Arabia," but it has its diversions.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 4, 2013

Full Review

Diego Semerene

Slant Magazine

There's an enormous amount of perverse pleasure to be had here for those who get off on the annihilation of nuance.

Rated: 0/4

Feb 28, 2013

Full Review

London Evening Standard

The real problem is that Black Gold is rather dull, and much too long for comfort.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 24, 2012

Full Review

Daniel Green

CineVue

As poorly-conceived and shallow as any Hollywood 'epic' you will see this year, entirely devoid of any insight, tension or style.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 13, 2018

Full Review

Kaleem Aftab

The List

French director Jean-Jacques Annaud falls short in directing the action and, ironically, can't avoid stereotypes of the Arab world, especially in it's depiction of female characters.

Rated: 2/5

Nov 6, 2018

Full Review

Yasmin Shehab

Cairo360

Jan 30, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

In the early 20th century, an emir (Antonio Banderas) and a sultan (Mark Strong) fight over rights to oil exploration in the Arabian Peninsula.

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Screenwriter: Jean-Jacques Annaud, Menno Meyjes
Production Co: Carthago Films S.a.r.l., Doha Film Institute, Prima TV, Quinta Communications, France 2 Cinéma
Rating: R (Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 23, 2013

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