Land of Fear (1999) Poster

(1999)

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8/10
An exquisite work of art
regreting_saint2 March 2001
An exquisite work of art by the director. Ahmad Zaki was magnificent as usual. Although the movie is set on drug dealing background, it has a very complex psychology in it. The movie discusses deep involvement in fake life matters and the fact that people may believe the lies they had created and doubt their own true life. The movie shows how confused a person could get when he starts to doubt who he is, and how desperate one can get to find himself an identity even if this identity didn't match his real personality. This movie must be watched!!
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8/10
All times best Egyptian Movie
elkholy-karim25 July 2006
I have seen many Egyptian movie, and this one by far is my favorite. The directing is great, the acting and imagery are amazing.

My favorite part is the part where Yehia visits his future wife, who is an architect, in her office. I really liked how the office was decorated, and how she was playing Edith Piaf music in the background.

Another part I liked is the part where he visits some big drug dealer in Old Cairo. The dealer's house has a unique architecture that dates from more than 100 years ago! It's just amazing..

If you haven't seen the movie,

you've missed a lot!
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9/10
One Of The Greatest Egyptian Movies Of All Time!
aboelella_200518 July 2016
Land of Fear, where Yehia (Ahmed Zaki) went into after eating his own apple and agreeing to do such a mission. To forget his past life of being one of the best police officers and becoming inserted in drug dealers world completely as one of them, after being fired from the ministry of interior by fabricating a bribery case against him. An unusual mission aiming to understanding this vague world completely from a loyal agent inserted among that world starting from the bottom up to the very top of drug dealers, reporting every detail of his lifelong mission.

The movie takes your attention from the first scene of it thanks to its interesting plot together with the excellent acting of Ahmed Zaki, Abd El-Rahman Abou-Zahra, Ezzat Abou-Aouf and Hamdy Gheith. The movie theme and soundtrack were brilliantly used although there was some technical defect that could be felt in few parts.

I liked the projections that were used in the movie like the nickname of Yehia that he used in his letters (Adam) symbolizing eating the apple of sin, and giving the name (Mousa) to Abd El-Rahman Abou- Zahra who kept insisting that he was just a prophet who just carried the messages.

It is a great movie and I recommend it for all my friends. You won't regret watching it.
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10/10
The story of humanity
mohammedhany16 October 2006
A great movie. A blockbuster of all time. This film was nominated to the Academy Awards (Oscar), but it didn't make it to the shortlist because the raw film was UNFORTUNATELY so poor.

However, Daoud Abdulsayed is a great director and he keeps on astonishing me every time he gives us a masterpiece. In this movie, which is a superb work on philosophy, Abdulsayed reviews the story of humanity as it was told in the three main religions in a simple yet admirable way, benefiting from the great performance of the great Ahmed Zaki.

The movie is full of symbolism, from using Adam as a code name for the undercover agent Yehia El Manqabadi, to Moses (the senior officer receiving his letters, then meeting him in the mosque). Also, you'll note Adam eating the Apple, while listening to his commander's orders regarding his mission, and the abstract that Yehia must die to give all the others the chance to live, with all its intersection with the tale of Jesus.

You'll never solve all the symbols in this movie, but you'll enjoy it, whether you like brain teasing or you just want to see an action movie.

This is a MUST-SEE film.
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In the land of fear and human contradictions
thabety19 May 2004
Director Daoud Abdul-Sayed builds his drama on the human being, as he introduces to us Ahmed Zaky in different human faces: He is Yehia, the police officer who is in a secret mission in the underworld of drug dealers and he is also Yehia Abu Daboura, the drug dealer who is living his daily life as an outlaw. These different and contradicting roles of one man helped in enriching the drama in this movie.In between, you will meet another major role: Adam, the mail man who used to get the messages or secret reports from Yehia, assuming that he is reporting to his higher officers. Adam is like the person in the middle between Yehia the police officer and Yehia the drug dealer. Yehia tells us during the movie that he/ or the drug dealer became a wealthy man. Still "I made love, without feeling love", he said. When he comments on his divorce from Rabab, he says "I did not have children from her in purpose...my relationship with having kids embodied my double life". "I wanted Yehia the police officer who governs people to have kids, not Yehia the drug dealer" he said. Yehia's relationship with Farida, the engineer whom he first saw in an elevator, is more complicated. He loves her, but their marriage fails. However, she returns to him by the end of the movie, while he becomes a father of a little boy from a strange marriage from the simple woman, Hanaa. It is a movie which will take you to a new adventure, which was well written and directed by Abdul-Sayed with a notable performance from Ahmed Zaky and the new actress Farah. Not to forget the impact of Rageh Daoud's music on this must see movie.
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10/10
One of the best movies not only in Egypt but ever.
mohamedkazzaz23 January 2020
This is one of the best Egyptian movies ever made, why is that ?

Well, here is why: 1. Acting is exceptional from everyone, specially Ahmed Zaki & Hamdi Geth. 2. The story itself and the hidden meaning is great, the more you watch, the more you understand that this is a great story and plot. 3. The soundtrack is really amazing.

This is truly a masterpiece.
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10/10
A tour into the underworld through the a Police-Officer/ Criminal
AmO_MithrandiR18 January 2003
Well, if you haven't seen this movie, don't hesitate, do it at once,, this is one of the most important Egyptian movies i have ever seen, it could've been the best but for the limited effects, which could've been a a big drawback if it was not for the brilliant director ( Dawood Abdel Sayed).

Ahmed Zaky still proves himself to be the most talented actor in Egypt, you can easily see it from the way he looks, he speaks or the way he moves. the script is perfect is shows the real changes in the main character "Yehia", and the world around it,, My favorite scene , is when Ahmed Zaky (Yehia) Discovers that all the time he was sending his information to a mail man, who collects them in his office, doing nothing with them, you can feel all the bitterness and anger through the eyes of Ahmed Zaky, you would even feel it. Again don't hesitate to watch and certainly enjoy that movie
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8/10
The meaning of fear
ahmedelarabyhassan29 July 2016
Warning: Spoilers
When this task began I was able to see everything clearly ,, I was sure of my work ,, then I began to feel like I see the picture from behind a piece of glass , and, gradually layer of dust began to consist ,, The problem is that the dust began to increase , which is what made me I do not see anything ,, unclear image ,, memories mingled with dreams with fantasies with facts ,, lately I see nightmares and woke up scared ,, I do not know why I feel the issuance of a judgment against me lonely ,, I hung in the air, I can not hold anything in my hand , There are no ground under me ! Become ask myself one question ,, Why did you become so ,, a criminal and a murderer ,, everything was rejected and fought and approved by the decision of one !
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7/10
Great, but...
Highwayer21 January 2005
Land of Fear is definitely one of the greatest movies ever to be made in the history of Egyptian cinema. Everything starting with acting, directing, dialogue... the whole nine yards; however, I couldn't help realizing after 30 minutes of the film that it's an Egyptian remake of Donnie Brasco which is, somehow, an insult to both Hollywood and the Egyptian cinema for not mentioning that that piece of art that everyone thought was great... isn't actually original. I still think that it's a not-to-be-missed kind of film especially for those who hate slow paced plot less films. I'd have given it a 9, but for bad faith... I'm downgrading it to 7.
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