basically everyone who applied has a part in their film Black Gold.
Thus, there is the Spanish lilt of Antonio Banderas, the French/Arabic twang of Tahar Rahim, the exotic accent of Indian actress Freida Pinto and then the cosmopolitan tongues of Mark Strong (Italian father and Austrian mother) and the versatile Riz Ahmed (actually, an Oxford-educated Brit).
It's like a polyglots' convention.
They all give their best Arabic accent a go in this desert drama but I'm not sure any of them sound terribly convincing.
Black Gold is set in the Arab states in the 1930s at the start of the oil boom.
Banderas and Strong play kings of two states which, after a war, have signed an uneasy peace.
This is broken when the oil barons arrive from America and promise Banderas pots of cash for permission to drill on land which he has agreed will be neutral.
This, unsurprisingly, causes consternation for Strong, whose character is a devout Muslim who sees no need for material wealth.
There is an added complication - as part of the earlier treaty, Strong's two sons went to live with Banderas, thus providing a barrier to any potential war.
It's an intriguing conundrum which pits greed against creed and questions loyalties.
To be fair, though, the cerebral stuff is soon out of the way and its on to the cut and thrust of fighting in the desert.
Black Gold has an interesting premise but, despite many scenes which should have been dramatic, it consistently fails to seal the deal.
It should have made me jump and it should have elicited emotion but it did neither.
And I couldn't even question my surroundings. It was my first trip to watch a movie at Derby Quad this year. It is a great place to take in a flick - but maybe not this flick.
My verdict on Black Gold is that it was all right but should have been so much better.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 5.5/10
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