The Square

I saw this film months after the previous review. Obviously, the filmmakers went back and re-edited their work. The resulting film is powerful, insightful and helpful to those of us for whom "Egypt" conjures images of the pyramids.

This film shows very clearly how an idea of justice and government by the people can be co-opted by those who do not necessarily have the same goals. In the end, it also asks of us, the viewers, "What are you willing to do to change a situation?" It also points out that change doesn't happen quickly or easily. Most effectively, the story follows specific individuals and makes one care about how the outcome will effect them.

Americans, take note. Most of those who chanted "Yes, we can" meant "yes, HE can" and then expected the dirty work of change to be others' responsibility. This shows how hard change really is. Don't miss it.

Director Jehane Noujaim delivers a riveting documentary with "The Square,"which manages to powerfully convey the chaos, complexity, and inherent dangers of a Revolutionary movement. The film boldly provides a perspective unattainable by journalists, and the activity recorded from 2011 to 2013 captures the passion and defiance of a movement first hand. The fight for a democratic Egypt is far from over, which is part of what makes the film so dynamic and riveting.

"The Square" is a documentary that traces the events of Egypt's Tahrir Square protests beginning in early 2011 when millions of people took to the streets to demand the removal of President/Dictator Hosni Mubarek, who held power for 30 years. However, when Mubarek is overthrown, the army steps in to temporarily take over the countries affairs, but does not follow through with their promises to its citizens.

After a free and fair election, the military fascist dictatorship is essentially replaced by a religious fascist dictatorship under President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Once again, the protesters unite and return to the Square to face a violent military oppression. It's a harrowing narrative of people twice betrayed: once by the army and again by militant Islamists who insist on a constitution based on religion instead of secularism.

Noujaim tells the story primarily through focusing on three activists, all of whom are friends. A charismatic, young artist named Ahmed Hassan, a British accented actor- turned activist Khalid Abdalla ("United 93"and "The Kite Runner"), and a family man Magdy Ashour, who is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood who finds his loyalties to his friends tested. The film's storyline follows the revolutionaries through the euphoria of victory, followed with the uncertainties and dangers while under military rule that threatens the politics of democracy.

"The Square" documents the promise and hope of a better future at the beginning, but by the end, you are left with an overwhelming sense of opportunities lost. While a more detailed back story of political maneuvering would have provided welcome context, its implications for the future are extraordinary. The revolution is a work in progress, a rebellion against an oppressive regime, and a call to arms for true democratic ideals. Informative international media outlets are few, and international news rarely generates much interest in the US. Ever more so it's the courageous filmmakers recording history with hand-held cameras that are filling the void.

The moment the film started, my blood was running at a high-octane buzz. As someone who cares deeply about social movements in general and the Middle East specifically, I was elsewhere through the beginning of the Egyptian Revolution, so learned many of the details from this film firsthand. The story is long, chaotic, and without definitive resolution, just like the moment it follows. That is its strength, and its legacy.

We meet 5 courageous characters, a variety of Egyptians, and we learn why they devoted the last two years of their lives to protesting in the square. The way they speak about their country is heartbreakingly direct, and when they suffer for their goals it's heartbreaking. Interesting, too, is the balance of art, protest, technology, discussion, and music in the protester's toolkits. The picture is up-close, traumatic, and fast-paced, which was all the better. When a story is ongoing, I don't want a portrait with clear summaries and 20/20 hindsight. I want the information that the revolutionaries had as they made their decisions.

Greetings again from the darkness. This is the third of this year's five Oscar nominated documentaries I have seen, and thanks to the historic Texas Theatre, I'll get to see the last two as well. This one is directed by Cairo born and Harvard educated Jehane Noujaim. She sets out to capture the Egyption Revolution, as part of the Arab Spring, and now in it's third year. This is a look from inside the core of the revolution, not a washed-over CNN report.

It should first be noted that this revolution began as more of a protest. Citizens just fed up with the Mubarek regime began congregating in Tahrir Square in hopes of influencing change and a transition to a society of conscience. Ms. Noujaim and her multitude of cameras follows a hand full of these protesters and the changes that occur inside the revolution. These changes occur as Mubarek falls, the military takes over and betrays the movement, and then the Muslim Brotherhood takes control when Mohamed Morsi wins the election. This causes the loss of solidarity in the movement as it becomes clear that the Brotherhood consorted with the military to gain power, proving their mission was quite different.

One of the faces of the revolution is Egyptian actor Khalid Abdalla who you might recognize from the fine 2007 film The Kite Runner. Abdalla speaks excellent English and is clearly passionate about the vision. His comments also drive home the difference in a protest and the politics of a true revolution. We only get a couple of on camera comments from government and military officials, but the real insight and spirit of the film is captured in the faces, words and actions of those involved in the sit-ins, despite the many violent attempts to shut them down.

The most staggering visual comes from an aerial view of Cairo as the camera captures the masses as they descend on the streets during the third uprising that we see. It's breathtaking and in stark contrast to the news reports we saw in the U.S. Unfortunately, there is still no resolution in this as Egypt is still in flux and preparing for yet another election. That brings even more power to the "in the moment" point of view that this film delivers. http://moviereviewsfromthedark.com/

Hard to digest at first, but ultimately a fantastic film. I have seen many "documentaries" on the Arab Spring, and none have come close to covering a revolution so completely. I recall seeing the director, Jehane Noujaim on (I believe) the today show last year after she was arrested by the police or Army in Cairo and put in prison while making this film. I can only applaud when, aside from risking their lives, a filmmaker takes on the task of condensing 2 years of history into less than 2 hours of what sums up a truly complicated and twisted situation which may be the most influential of the Arab Spring. When Syrians finally take down their dictator, will they be able to watch this film and get all the answers? Definitely not, but this films gives a real and raw insight into not only what it means to be a revolutionary, but where the path of the revolutionary really ends.

S.F.