Desert Warrior

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2:03

Desert Warrior

R

Apr 2026

2h 6m

Adventure

Action

Drama

History

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Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

250+ Verified Ratings

Defying a ruthless emperor, a princess flees into the Arabian desert, hunted by mercenaries. Forged into a warrior and aided by a legendary bandit, she unites warring tribes for a last stand that will change history.

Audience Says

A sword-and-sandal outing, Desert Warrior greatly benefits from its sweeping Arabian scenery and resonant themes of honor and survival.

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Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

Apr 27

The film was shot five years ago and is only reaching theaters now, but it’s likely to be swept away as quickly as desert sands.

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

Apr 23

Rather than extend the epic sweep of this picture into the cosmic ineffable, he just wants the viewer bouncing along and rooting for its female hero. And the film succeeds admirably in this respect.

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Monica Castillo

AV Club

Apr 23

D+

While the story onscreen is dull and the performances uninspired, it’s the story around Desert Warrior that solidifies it as a strange chapter in a country’s self-promotional history.

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Alex Maidy

JoBlo's Movie Network

17h

5/10

At best, Desert Warrior shows that Saudi Arabia can support Hollywood-caliber productions, but it will require better writers to make the finished product more than a moving painting.

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George and Josh Bate

Battle Royale With Cheese

4d

Desert Warrior feels like a film that has all of the right pieces in place, but doesn’t quite know where to place them to make it all come together.

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Zach Youngs

InSession Film

Apr 30

C

Desert Warrior functions like a spaghetti western, but unlike those films it doesn’t strive to make a unique stamp on its genre, just make a fine film that’s enjoyable.

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Erica

3d

great movie based on true stories. very good cast. will definitely see again when it streams.

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Toby W

3d

I accepted this would be different and without any expectations, I enjoyed this movie. The Desert Warrior is based on true events, which gives the story more importance.

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penguin

4d

this was actually really good I especially liked the amount of action it had! definitely on my top 20

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Lesly

4d

It was a very good movie. The plot was lacking in my opinion but the acting was amazing. Worth the watch but I expected a better storyline considering who the lead actor is.

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Juju

4d

The visual effect were good however the plot was ok

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Stephon

6d

I wish there was a bit more action in the film. Overall it’s not as bad as the reviews say it is.

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Rupert Wyatt

Director

Anthony Mackie

Actor

Aiysha Hart

Actor

Sami Bouajila

Actor

Sharlto Copley

Actor

Lamis Ammar

Actor

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Synopsis

Defying a ruthless emperor, a princess flees into the Arabian desert, hunted by mercenaries. Forged into a warrior and aided by a legendary bandit, she unites warring tribes for a last stand that will change history.

Director: Rupert Wyatt
Producer: Jeremy Bolt
Screenwriter: Rupert Wyatt, Erica Beeney, David Self, Gary Ross
Distributor: Vertical
Production Co: Studio Mechanical, AGC Studios, JB Pictures, MBC Studios
Rating: R (Violence/Bloody Images)
Genre: Adventure, Action, Drama, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 24, 2026, Wide
Runtime: 2h 6m