Unfortunately, it’s given only cursory interest in various one-liners about Bell’s independence or in the simplistically rendered showdowns she has with powerful men, as if that is enough. obstacle Bell encounters melts too quickly in the face of her wit and intelligence. That this love story, which consumes much of the beginning of the film, is meant to be a crucial part of Bell’s characterization is laughable. Werner Herzog's Queen of the Desert is the least Herzogian film of his career. What pulls this woman to explore these different cultures and face-off with far more powerful men keen on underestimating her? 7.75 of 10. Why was Bell so drawn to her line of work? You will be glad you spent two hours watching this movie, preferably with you significant other or a friend, as you will want to talk to somebody about it. She went on to scale the Matterhorn in 1904. She garners their respect and admiration in turn for reasons the film never seeks to explore with much depth. But perfection isn’t interesting in a biopic such as this; it’s a death knell. What drew her to specifically travel this part of the world? This gives Bell’s struggle between her own desires and social constraints a timely quality. See Fantastic sandune-scapes and the prettiest camels ever screened to fill out this vast portrait of the Middle East in World War I when the lines in the sand were drawn which stake out today's Arab Spring Nightmare. Instead I was left with questions. When in Tehran they speak Arabic, Tehran is in Iran they speak Farisi not Arabic, when in the market one guy is obviously Moroccan while the movie is narrating a middle eastern story (Amman Jordan) different dialect, and the Beddouin music always starting with Allah W Akbar which is a religious chant not necessarily specific to the middle east where you can find Christians, Kurds and a lot more ethnicity. But even she can’t bring much gravitas to a film that seems to lack any cohesive thematic perspective. But has there ever been a time accepting women this fearsome, bright, and independent? The cinematic dumping of Queen of the Desert continues the outrageous erasure of Gertrude Bell from pop-culture consciousness. The acting was hackneyed and Nicole Kidman, though trying very hard, was totally unconvincing. Hey Theatre Fam, We are heading out to the New Wimbledon Theatre to see the new UK Tour of PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT! Early in “Queen of the Desert,” Gertrude Bell’s father recounts a story to her about her first words spoken as a child that encompasses the entirety of her identity and disposition. People are drawn to these kinds of stories not to see beautiful recreations of facts they can look up on Wikipedia but to take an intimate view on the human beings that made history. The acting, settings and captioning made it an easy and enjoyable film to watch. You've heard heard of "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle": Now meet "Gertie, Queen of the Desert" as portrayed by an ever lovely and delicate Nicole Kidman in Werner Herzog's epic sandy biopic of English aristocrat Gertrude Bell, who became a sort of female Lawrence of Arabia when she was enthralled by the purity of the way of life of the Bedouin nomads of the middle eastern deserts and ventured on her own into the interior to study their cultures first hand and hob- nob with the sheiks despite strong objections by the British governors in Cairo and Baghdad. "Queen of the Desert" — 1.5 stars MPAA rating: … Is this some kind of joke? Along the way you'll also run into a gritty dropout Lawrence of Arabia who comes on like a skateboarder in drag and a bungling caricature of Winston Churchill falling all over himself as he attempts to mount a camel worried mainly about his lit cigar that got dumped in the process. But instead of heightening Kidman’s qualities—her luminescence, chilliness, and finely wrought emotional intelligence—“Queen of the Desert” flattens these traits. Even the stodgiest biopic would be redeemed by Herzog’s eye. QUEEN OF THE DESERT isn't as awful as some people have made it out to be but at the same time you can't help but call it a complete misfire on many levels. And while Kidman is dedicated to the role, this is one of her most pallid performances in recent memory. Written as a romantic adventure, full of life and sadness, this movie tells a story that is subtle, not raw, nor, overly dramatized. Nicole Kidman gives a brilliant performance, Beautiful film, amazing story, brilliant acting, Movies About Scientists, Engineers, Doctors, Researchers, Inventors, Explorers and People who do Amazing Things. A useful tool in the study of Gertrude who was the "Uncrowned Queen of the Desert who was divinely assigned to appoint Kings". Historically it was dreadful (starting in 1914 and then "going back" 12 years - by my simply maths this is 1902 - to have a toast to Queen Victoria by an embassy official is nonsense since she had died in 1901!) Obviously the director of this movie does not understand the context of the middle east and he is taking this part of the world as a bulk and treating it as a whole. It invites to beautiful scenery of the desert and its people. You will also want to read a book about Gertrude Bell and about the Middle East after watching ... ideally visit there as well although most places (Syria, Iraq, Iran) are too dangerous to travel to. It’s, seen in the marketing of brands, the recently erected bronze “Fearless Girl”, statue in Wall Street, and explored in recent works like ", This gives Bell’s struggle between her own desires and social constraints a timely, quality. It moved along a little slow in some parts, nice storyline. Whenever he wasn’t onscreen I forgot he was in the film altogether. I wish more people were able to appreciate beauty. It is a really funny film, as we follow a group of drag queens lip syncing to famous pop songs while journeying across Australia. Hence for many it will come across as a stock, even boring, romantic adventure drama. A Remarkable Human, a Remarkable Life, Too Bad Hollywood Ruined It, About as Bland and Lifeless As You Can Get. Queen of the Desert starts hilariously, and not quite on purpose. At one point Bell says in voiceover, “For the first time in my life I know who I am.” By the end of the film I still didn’t. By David Duprey On Apr 13, 2017. This film tells the story of a British woman who travels around Arabia to understand the life in the vast desert. Her simpering sugary overly acted "love" affair with Franco made me gag on it's sugary soft spoken sweetness and Franco always looked like he was about to turn to the camera and say, just joking wah wah wah. Quite enjoyable if you don't know your history and have not read the book 'Desert Queen'. Her parents apparently even opened her mail to ensure that she was not being led astray. Captivating music enhances your experience. It is a modern account with elements that are reminiscent of an older style of cinema. But it fell short in just about every way. Gertrude Bell is one of the most remarkable people (of either sex) to have ever lived...but you wouldn't know it from this film. The film opens with a young Gertrude Bell (Nicole Kidman) as a young debutante in Victorian England. This is a long, pretty uneventful boring movie. In QUEEN OF THE DESERT, Gertrude Bell (Nicole Kidman) lives in England near the turn of the 20th century. If you live or have experienced the desert, you can connect with this story. QUEEN Of THE DESERT, In Competition at Berlin 2015, A chronicle of Gertrude Bell's life, a traveler, writer, archaeologist, explorer, cartographer, and political attaché for the British Empire at the dawn of the twentieth century. She’s written for the New York Times, Vulture, The Atlantic, and The Village Voice. An admirable, serious trudge through the historical biopic territory, here focused on Gertrude Bell. Ambition, particularly for women, is a tricky attribute. Both Lewis and Pattinson bring very different energies, leading their scenes to intermittently spark with a much-needed liveliness. It is timely, beautiful, and relevant. Made me want to know more about the history. Rated PG-13 Ambition, particularly for women, is a tricky attribute. To make long story short the director reflected his understanding of the ME based on orientalist concepts and not real facts. This is again a cheap movie they serve us. Capturing the complexity of a desert past, The More the World Changes, the More the Middle East Remains the Same. Unfortunately, it’s given only cursory interest in various one-liners, about Bell’s independence or in the simplistically rendered showdowns she. She is undeterred by dangers of war, gangs and thieves. It isn't quite enough, though. Now that is a woman who has LIVED in the desert, and loved it. A film worth seeing, explains the birth of present middle east. The legendary German director is never able to find the right balance between the romantic melodrama and the sweeping historical drama making Queen of the Desert one of his weaker efforts. While the people around her cringingly toast to the British Empire with little care to the colonization that makes their wealth possible, Bell genuinely cares for the people she crosses in her travels through the Middle East. Remarkably, Werner Herzog’s Queen of the Desert, which premiered in 2015 and sat on a shelf until this weekend, is the farthest thing from a success story a movie can be.Featuring quite possibly career-worst work for everybody involved (and I’m including Robert Pattinson in that), Queen of the Desert is a remarkably boring film that fails on practically every single level. Based on the true story of Gertrude Bell, it brings history to life, even though it could have used a replacement for Nicole Kidman playing Gertrude as a young woman. Bell is a fascinating historical figure and Herzog treats her with respect and does not patronise his audience. Despite the rich biographical material of the real-life woman on which this is based and the skill of the filmmakers involved, “Queen of the Desert” ends up being an emotionally empty, thematically ill-defined, and listless affair. What a massive disappointment from Herzog. What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow. 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