The discovery of oil wells turns into a war between two kingdoms, one progressive and the other conservative.

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In the 1930's, two Arab Emirates are at war. The winner of the conflict, King Nesib (Antonio Banderas), keeps the sons of Sultan Amar, his adversary, as hostages and raises them. The zone that separates the two kingdoms is decreed neutral territory and belongs to no one. But when representatives of the Texan Oil Company discover oil there, Nesib sees his chance of becoming the king of a land of innumerable riches. He gives his daughter to Auda (Rachid Tahar), the younger of the hostages, and adopts him. Auda is then sent to his father to make him see that oil will make them all rich. But Sultan Amar doesn't trust these strangers and Auda finds himself having to learn the art of war just to keep the peace between the modernist faction and his conservative father...

Jean-Jacques Annaud conjures up an epic that aspires to Lawrence of Arabia but can’t live up to his best work (the excellent Quest for Fire, The Name of the Rose and The Bear), never mind his less successful productions (Seven Years in Tibet, The Lover). Thirsting for realism, the audience is left with a dry throat. This very romanticized superproduction about the war over oil is often a long trek over desert sands - we recommend you take along a flask...