I had read or heard about this Arabic language movie, and I was very interested so I bought a copy. Just as an aside, I told a coworker and friend that I had purchased the film. He is Egyptian and the movie had a special interest for him. We made a night of it, his wife and mother prepared a traditional Egyptian dinner and we watched the movie with his wife and his parents. He sent the kids to their rooms, although now I do not believe that to have been necessary.
It is a story about two friends in Palestine that decide to become suicide bombers. It explores why they would take such an action. The Western mind has a hard time comprehending this course of action. The movie paints of picture of two sympathetic individuals in an impossible situation without any real hope.
It also delves a little into the “characters” that recruit these young men (and of late women) for these suicide missions. It is not a pretty or complimentary picture. They make even used car salesmen seem honorable.
It in small ways demonstrates the frustrations and indignations of living in Palestine when most things are ultimately controlled by the Israelis.
While you would think this would be a violent and bloody movie, it is not. What violence there is, is implied or left to the viewer’s imagination.
I still do not think suicide bombing is right or the solution to anything, but the movie did give me some insight into why it happens. It gave me insight into a different side of the Palestine/Israel conflict than I receive from the American media.
It is well worth watching for those reasons, and it is a well made movie to boot. Go rent it or buy it.
This movie came out in 2005 and is in Arabic with English subtitles.
For more information visit the IMDB page for this movie.