For the Bedouins living in the Jordanian desert, the tribe is their most important identity. That's why 'Theeb' starts with an image of a Bedouin boy, staring at his tribe's symbol: a triangle, carved into a piece of rock. The seemingly peaceful existence of this tribe is challenged when another Bedouin, accompanied by a British soldier, asks them to help guide him through the desert. The boy, Theeb, accompanies his brother who will be the guide.
So, without realizing it, Theeb and his brother become involved in a faraway part of the First World War: the fight between the British and the Ottomans in the Middle East. The clash between the values of the Bedouins and those of the soldier becomes clear when the soldier asks them if they understand what fighting for a country means. Clearly they don't. For the Bedouins, there are no borders, nor countries. What counts are the family and the tribe.
These cultural contrasts are interesting, but in the film they are secondary to the adventures during the trip through the desert. After having lost his brother during a violent confrontation with members of a hostile tribe, the boy has to survive on his own in the desert. In the end, this leads to situations he couldn't have imagined at the start of the trip. 'Theeb' is an adventure movie, much more than a film about different cultures. The aesthetics of desert landscapes and nomadic life are prevalent.
'Theeb' is absolutely a very beautiful viewing experience. The landscapes are stunning, and the young Bedouin boy playing the central character is very endearing. The story is told in an unhurried way, much like traveling through the desert on the back of a camel must feel. The story lacks a bit of historical context, however. It never becomes quite clear what brings the British soldier to the Jordanian desert.
So, without realizing it, Theeb and his brother become involved in a faraway part of the First World War: the fight between the British and the Ottomans in the Middle East. The clash between the values of the Bedouins and those of the soldier becomes clear when the soldier asks them if they understand what fighting for a country means. Clearly they don't. For the Bedouins, there are no borders, nor countries. What counts are the family and the tribe.
These cultural contrasts are interesting, but in the film they are secondary to the adventures during the trip through the desert. After having lost his brother during a violent confrontation with members of a hostile tribe, the boy has to survive on his own in the desert. In the end, this leads to situations he couldn't have imagined at the start of the trip. 'Theeb' is an adventure movie, much more than a film about different cultures. The aesthetics of desert landscapes and nomadic life are prevalent.
'Theeb' is absolutely a very beautiful viewing experience. The landscapes are stunning, and the young Bedouin boy playing the central character is very endearing. The story is told in an unhurried way, much like traveling through the desert on the back of a camel must feel. The story lacks a bit of historical context, however. It never becomes quite clear what brings the British soldier to the Jordanian desert.