Once upon a time, there was a lot riding on Desert Warrior. The English-language period epic, made by a Hollywood director and featuring some globally recognizable stars, was intended as a calling card for a Saudi Arabian film industry hoping to put itself on the map. They went big, reportedly to the tune of $150 million, which would be a significant sum anywhere.
But it was shot more than four years ago. After fighting through post-production troubles, the film is finally releasing wide in US theaters without much fanfare.