Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) is sentenced to six years in prison. Whilst there he falls under the influence of the mafia led by the ruthless Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup) and is ordered to kill a fellow prisoner. With little choice but to do as he’s told Malik tries to find some way to survive on the inside whilst preparing himself for a better life once he gets out of prison. Caught in a racial battle and unable to read or write Malik has a long struggle ahead before he can get his life back on track.
A Prophet is based on the true events in the life of Ashiq Ahmed. On its theatrical release the movie garnered widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2009 it won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Film at the 53rd London Film Festival. Having achieved so much already, the movie makes its way onto Blu-ray and DVD.
Often over-hyped films are never as good as you’re led to believe but A Prophet is an exception. The movie actually lives up to the hype and it’s an intelligent, moving and at times dark watch. To think it’s based on true events is deeply unsettling but the performance of lead actor Tahar Rahim is nothing short of extraordinary. He brings many dimensions to the character of Malik and makes you feel sympathy and even contempt for the character throughout the movie. As Malik fights for his life and his future you can’t help but root for him despite some of the acts he commits.
Extras on the Blu-ray release include deleted scenes, a trailer, director’s commentary, behind-the-scenes footage and featurettes, and screentests for Tahar Rahim.
A Prophet is a remarkable movie and one that must be seen. Forget everything you’ve heard and get yourself a copy of this movie. With strong performances, an involving storyline and gripping twists the movie commands your attention throughout its 150 minute running time. Foreign language cinema is still very much a niche market but with more movies like A Prophet it should find a wider mainstream audience in the coming years.
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