Film

Young Black Stallion (2003)

Director: Simon Wincer

Movie review

From Time Out London

Australian director Simon ‘Free Willy’ Wincer had just 50 minutes to put this skeletal story across, which is probably why he opted for a simple, undemanding approach. A prequel to Carroll Ballard’s emotionally-charged 1979 horse drama, the film is set in the African desert at the close of WWII and centres on the granddaughter of a poor, down-hearted Arab farmer and her growing relationship with a beautiful black colt whose mother is seen being captured during the opening credits. Neera (Biana Tamimi) and her fiery four-legged friend soon become inseparable, and when she hears of a local desert race in which the winner takes possession of the losers’ horses, she disobeys her grandfather and enters…

Signposts, slushy ‘Lawrence of Arabia’-style swooning strings and elementary performances notwithstanding, this is a refreshingly old-fashioned antidote to many of this summer’s superficial blockbusters. And because it was shot in the giant IMAX format, you can be sure it looks ravishing.

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