Black Gold, a movie about the historical events shaped by the discovery of oil in the Arabian Peninsula, has a very successful story in terms of seeing the change in the region and the ambivalence of the people there to keep up with the change.
The unexpected arrival of wealth causes tension between the Arab emirs and the people living in the region, and leads to steps that end in war. In the story of the movie, we see that it is not the conflict between people that causes this, but powerful characters who have the power to manipulate the people living in the region and use faith to support their own ideas.
Although the story of the movie is set in the early 20th century, it is possible to adapt the main story to the Arabian Peninsula and current developments there. It is sad to see that despite the decades that have passed, nothing has changed, and the tragic part of the movie is the use of the power that wealth brings over the people who should have a share in it.
Although it is possible to see that there have been no winners in wars throughout history, it is also possible to see that there are those who have no difficulty in finding reasons to start wars! Possessing the power that wealth brings and ruling the masses as you wish will remain attractive in the past, present and future.
The disagreement between the two antagonistic leaders over the wealth brought by oil and the past agreement between them are the details that shape the movie. The way both leaders assert their own righteousness is worth watching. The decision to go to war in line with their own righteousness is a small detail that tells a lot, but when adapted to the present day, it is a big detail that still remains valid.
Sultan Nesib (played by Antonio Banderas) and Emir Amar (played by Mark Strong) are the two antagonists I mentioned and two characters whose every opinion is different. Their priorities have always been their own thoughts and interests, rather than the masses behind them. When we compare the stance of the characters they brought to life with today, we can clearly see that nothing has changed. Antonio Banderas' marvelous acting actually explains exactly what I want to say.
I recommend watching the movie Black Gold. It has a story that helps to understand the political events revolving around oil more clearly. In fact, the movie could have been called “Blood Money”! I think it would have been a title that would have been more effective on the story and would have made the story more understandable.
Thank you for being here and reading. Take care and goodbye!