A Prophet
I would not call this movie a masterpiece. To say that, I think you would need to give it at least a couple of years and a couple more viewings. But it feels like a masterpiece. Hours after leaving the theater, my mind would return to the French prison where the movie is set; a haunting world impossible to forget.
The movie is long, though I do not mean that in the usual sense; it does not fall apart halfway through like, say, Avatar. It’s just long (150 minutes), with a fantastic last shot.
The dream sequences are questionable. Not offensively bad, but since the movie is so stark the rest of the time, director Jacques Audiard’s artistic license here seems a little forced and definitely out of place. Maybe that was the point, but for me, it did not work.
Otherwise, A Prophet is a raging success: scary, gripping, and not without a sense of humor. The main character Malik El Djebena (played unapologetically by Tahar Rahim) is relatable – no matter how bad he gets – because we are with him every step of the way, as he heads towards doing something unconscionable. (He was so relatable, in fact, I am now growing a mustache in an attempt to look like him.)
March 7, 2010 at 11:05 am
This director, Audriard, has made some excellent thrillers, but A Prophet has a different feel: potent, frighteningly believable and seemingly destined for cross-over success and cult status.
I agree with you that the prison in the film is unforgettable. Audriard pays great attention to the sound design, and as a result Melik’s world feels that much more real.