For this film, I will take advantage of most of the review I made for the film in English, since there are virtually two twin versions of the same film, with a different cast and in a different language. However, even though it is a film aimed at the Muslim audience, I will speak from the perspective of someone who saw it in the West.
This film is absolutely forgotten today. We are all tired of seeing, at Easter and Christmas Eve every year, biblical films or involving Jesus in some way. This does not happen, however, with films about Islam, which for us in Portugal is a religion that tells us little (although we spent a good part of our history, as a country, at war with Muslim peoples). I think that the skewed way in which we see the Muslim faith, the result of recent events, terrorism and fundamentalism, also helped to bury these films. This, in particular, also has the disadvantage that the central character of the plot - Muhammad - cannot be shown or heard. Islamic religion rules.
The film briefly recounts Muhammad's life and preaching, and the way he became a religious and military leader, going against the authorities of Mecca, the current polytheistic religion and his family until he imposed himself, by the word and - not least - by the strength of the weapons. A true story, therefore, but one that is never explored by Western cinema due to religious rashes. It is understandable: most Muslims can be understanding, but the fear of the West is radicalized minorities, willing to blow bombs in the cinema studio that dare to show the Prophet. Personally, I coped well with the character's absence, but the overwhelming majority of the Western audience quickly dismissed the film.
The effort to co-produce this film was remarkable at the time. We have Americans, English, Arabs, Moroccans, Libyans and other nationalities involved. The difficulties were also many, and part of the money for the film ended up coming from the hands of Libyan President Gaddafi, which is quite unusual, but understandable, at the time it was. I also appreciated the effort that the production made to be historically rigorous and faithful to the events described.
The film features a vast cast which, of course, stands out Abdallah Gheith, in the role of an uncle of the Prophet, Mona Wassef, who gave life to the vindictive Hind, wife of the Mecca ruler, Abu Sofyan, played by Hamdy Gheith. The three actors were the ones that stood out the most and did a competent job with the material they received. Still, I don't think it will be the best movie of any of the three.
Technically, it is a very well-made film and at the level of epic super-productions of its time: the sets were exquisitely well done, the costumes are detailed, everything exudes a certain atmosphere of credibility and respect, both for the history and the religion of those who believe in Muhammad's message. Cinematography is a little dated and the colors seem washed out, but that did not detract from the film's visual beauty. The soundtrack is quite good and is in the ear, and the initial credits are interesting, with the representation of the faithful from various places in the world where Islam is present today.
This film is absolutely forgotten today. We are all tired of seeing, at Easter and Christmas Eve every year, biblical films or involving Jesus in some way. This does not happen, however, with films about Islam, which for us in Portugal is a religion that tells us little (although we spent a good part of our history, as a country, at war with Muslim peoples). I think that the skewed way in which we see the Muslim faith, the result of recent events, terrorism and fundamentalism, also helped to bury these films. This, in particular, also has the disadvantage that the central character of the plot - Muhammad - cannot be shown or heard. Islamic religion rules.
The film briefly recounts Muhammad's life and preaching, and the way he became a religious and military leader, going against the authorities of Mecca, the current polytheistic religion and his family until he imposed himself, by the word and - not least - by the strength of the weapons. A true story, therefore, but one that is never explored by Western cinema due to religious rashes. It is understandable: most Muslims can be understanding, but the fear of the West is radicalized minorities, willing to blow bombs in the cinema studio that dare to show the Prophet. Personally, I coped well with the character's absence, but the overwhelming majority of the Western audience quickly dismissed the film.
The effort to co-produce this film was remarkable at the time. We have Americans, English, Arabs, Moroccans, Libyans and other nationalities involved. The difficulties were also many, and part of the money for the film ended up coming from the hands of Libyan President Gaddafi, which is quite unusual, but understandable, at the time it was. I also appreciated the effort that the production made to be historically rigorous and faithful to the events described.
The film features a vast cast which, of course, stands out Abdallah Gheith, in the role of an uncle of the Prophet, Mona Wassef, who gave life to the vindictive Hind, wife of the Mecca ruler, Abu Sofyan, played by Hamdy Gheith. The three actors were the ones that stood out the most and did a competent job with the material they received. Still, I don't think it will be the best movie of any of the three.
Technically, it is a very well-made film and at the level of epic super-productions of its time: the sets were exquisitely well done, the costumes are detailed, everything exudes a certain atmosphere of credibility and respect, both for the history and the religion of those who believe in Muhammad's message. Cinematography is a little dated and the colors seem washed out, but that did not detract from the film's visual beauty. The soundtrack is quite good and is in the ear, and the initial credits are interesting, with the representation of the faithful from various places in the world where Islam is present today.