Arabia ( the Imax movie)

Today I went to the Imax, to watch what I thought was going to be sweeping wide landscape shots of sand formations.
I was wrong, so wrong.

"Arabia" should be titled "Why America doesn't want you to be prejudice against Saudi Arabia, you know its oil ally". There was even footage of first oil agreement between Roosevelt and Ibn Saud. Cause all americans loved Roosevelt and if Roosevelt liked someone so should you !

The film begins with mud huts in the desert, then the annoncer says this was Arabia in the 1800's but it has expanded greatly into the present age. Then the veil is lifted with grandiose aerial shots of saudi arbia's modern wealthy cityscapes. On display like a pretty pony in an all american horse show.
The premise is they are following a filmmaker who is from the region but went to school in the states and is returning. You see mecca and the annual pilgrimage. At some point they talk about the great arabic scholars of the past.

The annoying part about this propagandistic film is that it cant decide what it is about.
Is it about the history of Saudi Arabia ? Modernity versus traditional values in contemporary Saudi Arabian society ?
Or is it about camels and arbian horses? Or about the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia ?

Thats right they talked about women, sort of. They bring up that women are going to be accepted to a new university opening in Riyadh. They talk about how women have more college degrees than men on a whole. Then quickly they say oh, women have to dress modestly in these full body robes and they are not allowed to study abroad or leave the country without male consent. Next scene the announcer says " Women in Saudi Arabian culture have greater problems than their modest dress but this is a work in progress." Then they cut to the next scene about bedouin being the same as western cowboys.

Hey HELEN MIRREN THE IMAX ANNOUNCER, WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS, WOMEN FACE OTHER THAN THEIR MODEST DRESS? WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPAND?

On top of everything there are nearly no shots of women during the film and even though they reference a famous female poet they never let her talk. She doesnt talk to the camera. No women are interviewed.

The movie ignores all other middle eastern cultures or countries .

They reference volcanoes in the desert but never show us one.

Ugh This reminds of sled dogs at the vic film fest. Why don't they just shut up and show us sweeping landscape shots ?

Image of the Modern city of Riyadh. I like the building monument.