Zinzana

Being from the Middle East I was really hoping that this film would not fall into the old clichés of love conquers all no matter what love is the answer sadly that was not the case the acting was good the jailor was a perfect psychopath and the main character was sympathetic enough though he could've been a bit stronger in the role. I really hope in 2020 and beyond Arab cinema will get Beyond the love clichés and also with that the always identifiable schmaltzy music

A great suspense/drama with a comic twist, produced masterfully by Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, despite being filmed in a single location, with a few cubic meters, the suspense holds us until the end, except for small unnecessary situations, the drama moves us in the end, and the outcome is plausible and consistent, lovely...

From the moment I saw the trailer, I knew this film would be great and it did not disappoint.

The movie follows an alcoholic who ends up in prison in a remote town. His time behind bars suddenly becomes a living hell at the hands of a madman cop who pays a surprise visit. Will he be able to escape this lunatic?

The performances are perfect, notably Ali Suliman who plays Daban (the psycho cop) to perfection. His performance, although unique, is slightly reminiscent of Heath Ledger's Joker, in his ability to be funny as well as menacing. The comedy/chemistry between Daban and the portly female warden who takes a liking to him is brilliant. The cinematography is brilliant, dark and definitely adds to the suspense.

A highly recommended film.

As we've come to expect out of India (I'm not sure if it's Indian or Bollywood or not) what acting!! Absolutely wonderful. Totally immersing and never missed a beat. Kudos to all involved!!!

While widely hailed as the first genre film to come out of the United Arab Emirates, and displaying some fun and flashy visual skill, this isn't a very deep film, nor a great one.

The story is simple and has potential. An 'everyman' type is locked in a small local jail for some sort of brawl. While waiting to be bailed out a stranger enters and brutally murders the local sheriff in front of our 'hero' and hides the body. Why? And what will he do to our protagonist? (not really a spoiler - it happens at the very start of the film).

The cat and mouse game that plays out between the two men facing off in essentially one room for the whole film is cleverly shot and definitely has real moments of fun. But the film is a bit trapped between tones. The outrageous villain is played and written too campy and over-the-top to be believable enough to be scary, but too brutally violent and dark to be much fun. And our 'hero' remains a mostly blank sketch, so it's hard to be involved on a deeper level. Throw in a mix of some predictable late turns, and others that stretch credulity and logic, and you have a film that is fast paced and fun to watch, but not one that will linger in the memory or call for a second visit.