King of the Sands (2013) Reviews

• Amazing Movie

  issam-manssour2013-12-10

  This is one of the best movie produced recently across the entire Arab countries. This Movie broke all taboos put by Saudi regime regarding the Saudi royal family which ruled the Najd since long time and destroyed any kind of civilization exist before. This is the first movie dared to talk about King Abdu al Aziz who found the Saudi kingdom after fighting with Al Rashid Family which was ruling Najd. Very true story and amazing direction by Najdat Anzor.who is one of the best director in Arab countries and already directed many movies/TV series which treated very sensitive Subjects. Great Movie.

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• Excellent

  bassel-issa2013-12-14

  The movie is one of those that deal with what considered Taboo, and a real history that has been covered for ages. and hidden between lines of books that few that were able to read or to know about. the movie is not fantasia or a vision of the director or the writer, but it is a real documentary, and i think the scenes are fair, no exhilaration at all. it brings a hidden history to screen with accurate details. revealing the truth of king who built his kingdom using series of killing, betraying. a brave director, a brave writer. I should say the Truth uncovered for public with this Movie.

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• learn more about the medieval Kingdom

  nadermann19992013-12-11

  Finally, a movie that gives insight into the bloody history of the Al-Saud royal family of Saudi Arabia. People interested in modern politics and events and want to learn more about the medieval Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - where women cannot drive, and where extreme poverty exists side by side with extreme wealth in this oil rich country named after the oil-wealth embezzling Saud family (i.e. the richest royal family in the world) - would do well to watch this film to understand the mindset behind this nation which is a prolific financier of international terrorism and Islamic fanaticism, as has become evident from events in recent decades in Afghanistan, 9-11 and in Syria.

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• One word: Amazing!

  the-mosawi2014-01-25

  King of the Sands is one of the most insightful movies I have ever seen. It will give the viewer a full control of what to think of the Al-Saud family who has been controlling Saudi Arabia for many many years now. It tells the story of how they started their empire and how they renamed a country that was previously called "Hijaz" to "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". It also brought to my attention that this country is the only place on Earth that is named after a ruling family. The acting is superb and the production value is very impressive despite the fact the director - following the footsteps of "Hitchcock" - produced this movie with his own money, with no external funding what so ever. I really enjoyed the movie and found it both educational and entertaining.

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• The director's motivation in making the movie

  saracen_count2015-09-10

  This is obviously a political motivated movie. The only reason this movie was made was because the Syrian director is a supporter of the Assad regime, and he didn't like the Saudi stance towards the civil war in Syria (anti-Assad). Plus, the Saudis before that knew his stance, so they banned him from working on the pan Arab channels. He also announced he will not work with Syrian actors from the opposition. About the film, it didn't make sense that someone will talk like that (Abdulaziz), it felt like a cartoonish evil character. Furthermore, the way that Ibn Saud's campaigns are almost like pillaging and bloodthirsty fake fundamentalists is very cliché when you know that Najdat Anzour's famous works were historical fantasy Arab series; so it fits his previous works. Also, trying so hard to draw obvious references to 9/11, or the London 7/7 bombings, just to link them with Ibn Saud, is obviously trying to steer the audience to only see the character in one spotlight, which is isn't good. And why the sex scenes in a supposedly 'historical' movie? It's beyond me. Strangely enough the lead actors were Italian. Did Najdat Anzour run out of English or even Arab actors? Not a good idea. There are many more to say about it, but in conclusion: It is a cartoonish and dubious in character, acting, and away from history, which is a wasted opportunity because of the political motivated stance behind it. I am saying a wasted opportunity, because no one did an English movie (without the Italians please) about the foundation of Saudi Arabia. Maybe the director gets at least a star from me for the idea, other than that, the whole thing is a sad state.

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