Jean-Jacques Annaud's Day of the Falcon is something of a jolly throwback: an oversized, sweeping extravaganza set in an exotic land and populated with a multinational cast (and, for the most part, it works). During the 1930s, the warring Arabian sultans Nesib (Antonio Banderas) and Amar (Mark Strong) achieve a peace accord over a barren land known as the “Yellow Belt” by declaring that it belongs to neither ruler. Nesib also agrees to raise Amar's sons with his children. However, the Yellow Belt proves to be anything but a wasteland: years after the peace pact, oil is discovered, creating new tensions between the rival sultans. Complicating matters further is the growing attraction between Nesib's daughter, Leyla (Freida Pinto), and Amar's son, Auda (Tahar Rahim). Annaud eschews CGI effects for the grand battle sequences—reportedly, 10,000 camels and 2,000 horses were used while filming the clashes, along with a small army of biplanes and armored cars. James Horner's rousing score and Jean-Marie Dreujou's lush cinematography add to the film's emotional fervor. There are a few problems: the diversity of accents is jarring, Banderas overacts, and the notion of benevolent sultans using oil riches strictly for the benefit of the people suggests an effort to placate the Qatari royals who provided financing for this production. Ultimately, however, this is an entertaining diversion sure to delight those who rue the passing of the old-fashioned epic. (P. Hall)
Day of the Falcon
Image, 125 min., R, DVD: $27.98, Blu-ray: $29.98 Volume 28, Issue 4
Day of the Falcon
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