The film has some good points. It begins as a film about a French lieutenant in French Sahara who is trying to prevent his idiotic captain from causing a full-on crisis between the army and the Touareg. Along comes a French woman looking for her lost lover. At first it's just a distraction from the main, more interesting plot. Thus, for the first hour I really got into the film and was expecting to see the conflict between the French and the Touareg lead to an exciting climax. However, as the woman's story takes over the film turns into a disaster of boredom.
None of the characters are well developed, and it is particularly sad that none of the Touareg were developed as characters. On the good side, the visuals are nice, the soundtrack excellent, and Marion Cotillard is pleasant to look at.
Overall, this film is a prime example of could-have-been-better. A greater focus on the Touareg characters and their motivations, a more in-depth representation of the conflict between the French and the Touareg, and subjugating the love story to the background could have made this a great film.
