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Review of "A Prophet" ("A Prophet" France 2009)

Synopsis: Sentenced to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) can not read or write. When it comes to jail all alone, it seems more fragile young as other prisoners. Is 19. Cornered by the leader of the band parades that dominate the prison, he assigned a series of quests you must meet to become stronger and gain the confidence of the leader. But Malik is brave and learns quickly, and even dares to make their own plans.
Not many prison dramas that I've seen throughout my life, nor are many French films that we have the opportunity to enjoy our billboards distribution given the very poor in our country have this type of product. However, I could not stay behind with the viewing of this film, as "A Prophet" is one of the five films will compete on the night of March 7 this year in delivering Oscar Awards in the category of Best Foreign Film.

While it clear from the beginning of this review that the film deals with fairly complex intelligent French prison system, on the other hand, the film also tends to address other issues more commercial in the genre, because at times the film turns to the thriller genre in a relatively efficient and moves away from the dense atmosphere that it shows in their initial 45 minutes.

The film shows us in his early arrival in a French prison for our hero of Arab origin Malik El Djebena, who shall serve a sentence of 6 years imprisonment. At first, Malik will suffer tremendous humiliation of other prisoners, including the leader of one of the most influential bands of the prison. Between a rock and a hard place, Malik will cooperate with some of the missions entrusted to it if it wants to be a victim of the harsh and corrupt French prison system.

The story of "A Prophet" is a priori very, very interesting. We're talking about a typical prison drama in which our hero suffer various indignities during their stay in a penal system where unknown and will obviously have to deal with different consequences that will be happening throughout the story of the film.

Thus, the film will grow in tension (the first 45 minutes are really cool), but unfortunately it loses its surprise as you continue the same, being literally caught in a script very well told but too linear in its general approach. Here the viewer can figure out where things are going at different times, as the film in no time away from typical clichés of the genre in question. Perhaps best of the film is the narrative force that derives from their performances and various issues that make even the two hours and a half of the film is frankly pass very, very fast.

In the technical field, "A prophet is a really perfect product. The film has an excellent picture which tells the French prison system terribly grim in many of its scenes and gives us some camera movements that will make several scenes on the screen to generate real tension, especially in its tremendous initial 45 minutes. In short, an excellent handling in all technical areas for a much correct in general.

Perhaps by far the best film performances are impeccable. Tahar Rahim provides a tremendous performance as a boy who literally do not know what to do at first, so it will be cornered by absolutely everywhere. However, your character must show enormous courage to cope with their stay, or maybe die trying. In this sense, Rahim gives a performance with many nuances, so will a tremendous initial unease to a progressive and necessary courage that will be reflected on screen in a very, very natural.

In conclusion, "The Prophet" is the tremendous awesome movie that many critics are blind to say it is. "The Prophet" is above all a more cinematic product that is right mix the typical prison drama with some ingredients derived from the thriller genre. Very good performances, for a very good product of a renewed French cinema.

Movie Rating: Good.

Read Review A Prophet in Muchocine.net