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FeedMovie Review: A Prophet
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A Prophet - Eastern Hills Dipson
It might seem odd, but after reading a quick blurb about director Jacques Audiard’s motivations for creating Un prophète [A Prophet], my view of the film went down slightly. It is a very well made work of cinema, but I do have to question its director contending that he meant to create an icon for people who have none, specifically, Arabs in France. So why choose a hero who's a convicted felon turned murderer, then mafia leader? However, one cannot deny the power of this film as it shows the evolution of Malik El Djebena, as he transitions from victim to networked kingpin.
A nineteen-year-old sentenced to six years behind bars, Malik is completely out of his element behind bars. But he does speak Arabic, so he's approached with protection and membership into a sect of Corsicans; they believe he can get close to a recently transferred Arab they want dead. He's scared, but realizes the Corsicans control the prison; to refuse or fail is impossible. Once the job is finished, Malik is owned by these men, and relegated to cleaning, fetching, and doing all the dirty jobs. Yet he is smarter than he seems; slowly learning the languages and the rules of engagement, he sets the stage for a potential hostile takeover.
Tahar Rahim, in a phenomenal performance, allows us to see Malik maturing as each year passes in the prison. As each task is completed, trust is gained and connections are made. Due to a new law, gang leader César Luciani—this is a menacing portrayal from Niels Arestrup—finds himself alone, as his comrades move away. So Malik inherits it all, moving next door as second in command. Soon he sets up his own relationships and business. Speaking French, Arabic, and Corsican has allowed him to live on the border of every gang, readying himself for when the opportunity arrives.
The film calls him a "prophet" due to his uncanny ability to align himself with enemies, in effect making them allies with each other. He plays every angle and gains their trust and respect. Only twenty-five once his sentence is complete, the scared boy has grown into the kind of man who can not only bring people together, but also successfully lead them.
The film is a tad long, and is not without boring moments—it is two and half hours—but the riveting central characterization holds it together.
Un prophète [A Prophet] 9/10
photography:
[1] Tahar Rahim as Malik. Photo taken by Roger Arpajou © 2008, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
[2] Left to Right: Hichem Yacoubi as Reyeb, Tahar Rahim as Malik. Photo taken by Roger Arpajou © 2008, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
