Omar (2013) User Reviews

Well made film from Palestinian side of the border, providing insight how it is to live there and how it influences relationships between people living on both sides

[JvH48 · 8/10 · 11 October 2013]

I saw this film at the Ghent (Belgium) film festival 2013. I usually avoid films involving the Israel versus Palestine controversy, but this one looked different while reading the synopsis on the festival website. Central theme is the relationships between people on both sides of the fence, be it family, lovers, friends or schoolmates. The separation fence (border wall) was announced to play a visible role in the plot, a literally high obstacle to be crossed to maintain contact. Also, this film is completely produced at (and financed from) the Palestinian side of the border, something that does not happen very often, awaking interest in spite of the location.

Some negative remarks first. I had problems identifying myself with the main characters and their customs, where flirting, courting, proposing, engaging, and finally getting married seems a convoluted process. At least that is what we think when seeing it through our Western European eyes, where this works very differently. And such things are even more complicated in the middle of the conflict between Palestine and Israel. A very visible role in the plot has a huge wall that we see several times being crossed illegally, as an obstacle to surmount when visiting a woman you love on the other side. After reading the synopsis on the festival website, I deemed this wall a metaphorical role at first, but the underlying political conflict creeps in more and more when getting further in the story.

But there are also many positive things to say about the movie. These film makers get across perfectly, maybe precisely that being their most important achievement, how difficult it is to know for sure in such an environment who can be trusted. Who is on your side, and who is not? Everyone can be a traitor, either because of religious beliefs, bad experiences, blackmail, family secrets, physical pressure, or while relatives or loved ones are held hostage. Given these examples, one may state that not even someone you know from childhood, can be considered full-proof trustworthy material. And what about someone who was imprisoned for a while, but released seemingly before he did the allotted time behind bars? How can you prove you are not a mole, when everyone assumes otherwise??

All in all, as a finished feature film coming from a country we don't recognize as producing films that are worthy to be programmed in a film festival, this one certainly is notable and shows a promising future for these film makers. As of this writing, the film made a good head start for the audience award (2nd place, average score 4.43 out of 5). I deduce that my feeling of remote involvement tells more about me than about the film itself. But anyway, see for yourself as it may provide for some more insight in the underlying political and religious conflicts that seem unsolvable within the foreseeable future.

Excellent movie from Palestine is compelling from start to finish

[paul-allaer · 8/10 · 1 March 2014]

"Omar" (2013 release from Palestine; 96 min.) brings the story of Omar and his friends Tarek and Amjad. As the movie opens, we see Omar climbing over the separation wall (diving Israel from the West bank) to see the girl of his dreams, Nadja. Tarek pushes Omar and Amjad to be more active in their fight against the Israelis, and at one point they shoot and kill an Israeli border guard, but it isn't long before Omar is apprehended by the Israeli police. Given the choice of being jailed for many years, or instead to be set free and lure Tarek into the hands of the Israelis, Omar chooses the latter. In a separate story line, we learn that Amjad also has his eyes on Nadja. Is Omar really going to snitch on his friends? Who will win Nadja's heart? To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: first, when you get a Palestine movie in which there is conflict with the Israelis, you automatically expect that this will be a political movie. Yet it really isn't the case at all. Instead, this movie looks at the conflicts of being a reluctant informant, and the resulting mind games being played. Second, this is an equally compelling family drama, with two guys chasing the same girl, of course in the context of strict family traditions and even stricter religion. Third, The movie contains a number of great performances, including Adam Bakri in the title role and the beautiful Leem Lubany in the role of Nadja. Last but certainly not least, I never saw the end coming, and it frankly was a little bit of a shock.

This movie scored an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Movie, which will be decided tomorrow. The category is pretty stacked this year, and I doubt that "Omar" will win. That doesn't take anything away from this movie, though, which I found compelling from start to finish. I saw the movie last weekend at the West End Cinema in Washington DC, and the early matinée showing where I saw it, was reasonably well attended. This movie certainly deserves to be seen (as are all the other Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Language Movie), be it in the theater or on DVD/Blu-ray. "Omar" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Humanistic exploration of a controversial topic

[Buddy-51 · 8/10 · 24 August 2014]

"Omar" is so topical in content and authentic in form that it feels as though it had been ripped straight from the morning's headlines. This Oscar-nominated Palestinian film may not be as "fair and balanced" in its depiction of the seemingly endless and intractable Mid East conflict as some might wish it to be, but, like all good social dramas, the movie is far more concerned with exploring the human condition than with scoring political points.

Omar (Adam Bakri) is a young Palestinian baker who, at great risk to himself, regularly scales the massive wall that runs through occupied Palestine to hang out with his friends, Tarek (Iyad Hoorani) and Amjad (Samer Bisharat), and to carry on a secret romance with his girlfriend, Nadia (Leem Lubany), who also happens to be Tarek's sister. The three young men are also active as "freedom fighters," dedicated to liberating their people from Israeli control. After Amjad shoots and kills an Israeli soldier, Omar is arrested and coerced into becoming a spy in exchange for his freedom. Against this backdrop of simmering social and ethnic unrest, the bonds of friendship are tested in ways that will surprise and move you.

Though the geographic, sectarian and boundary issues could be a bit more clearly defined for audiences less familiar with the area, the screenplay by Hany Abu-Assad finds its truth in its portrayal of what day-to-day life is like for the ordinary people who call that part of the world home. Omar and his buddies may be passionately partisan about their cause, but that doesn't mean they aren't complex, three- dimensional characters in their own right. For underneath all the outward bravado and righteous bluster, they are still just "boys" after all, with all the interests and concerns that all young men have who are embarking on this journey we call life - a journey made all the more arduous and challenging by the world in which they live.

Assad's direction is taut when it needs to be (particularly in the striking foot chases through the narrow streets and alleyways of the prison-like city) and observant and patient when that is what is called for.

All the actors are excellent, but special mention must be made of young Bakri, who, as the title character, runs the emotional gamut from explosive to sheepish without missing a beat, his sly, toothy grin standing in direct counterpoint to his steely gaze and serious mien. It is Bakri who largely cuts through the polemics and who makes the story one to which all of us can relate. Well worth seeing.

Tight masterful storytelling wins out

[conannz · 9/10 · 25 July 2013]

In places like the West Bank truth is the first casualty. This fictional tale takes real life tensions and offers very believable characters to make that point.

The 3 friends (Omar, Tarek & Amjad) plus the sister Nadia are constantly kept off balance by the political tensions that come from living in Palestine.

The director manages to add just enough warmth and naturalness to the various story loops to keep us on side with the lead characters.

The Israeli lead protagonist (Rami) has clearly read Machievelli's the Prince. He uses half truth, insinuation and educated guesses to rattle Omar and his friends.

Just when you think you know what is going to happen it all changes. This is a great movie. I saw it at a film festival but I hope it goes on to wider release.

A Must

[mahmood-sharif · 10/10 · 18 January 2014]

To start with, I want to admit that I might be biased, as this movie is a local movie, with local actors, and local financing. Therefore, my review could be affected by what is so called local patriotism.

Nevertheless, I think that this movie is the best movie that I've watched in a long while. This movie tells the story of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the Palestinian point of view in a way that no movie did before. Yet, this movie could apply to any weak side that is living under oppression, anywhere on earth, such that everyone that has a heart can empathize with the oppressed, that is symbolized by the hero Omar. In addition, this movie contains numerous elements that one looks for in a movie: it has action scenes, dramatic events of betrayal and honesty, a pure and naive love story, friendship, funny scenes, and above all, it makes the audience ask questions and think.

To conclude, this movie is a must watch as it tells a story in a moving manner (some people even cried at the end..). In addition, by watching it you'll be supporting the uprising of the Palestinian movie scene, that has many great talents.

Israeli intelligence operation ruins Palestinian youths' lives

[maurice_yacowar · 7/10 · 8 January 2014]

Hany Abu-Assad's Omar is the Palestinian take on the Intelligence game that Bethlehem presented from the Israeli side. It's an extremely effective and well-made film, that further engages its audience with a Romeo and Juliet story of romance thwarted by politics. That's the box office sugar that may have won the Foreign Film Oscar shortlist slot.

The film centers on three young men itching to join the battle. The leader is Tarek, the hero Omar and the comic butt is the least attractive, Amjad. Omar and Tarek's sister Nadia are in love, as is evident from their glances when she early serves all three men tea. At her insistence, Amjad does his Godfather impersonation for her, amusing at the time but in hindsight a sinister omen.

For Amjad will prove the film's bad actor, or villain. Though he's the best shot, he tries to avoid doing his part in the trio's planned attack on an Israeli guard. He eventually does pull the fatal trigger, but the Israelis believe Tarek should be assumed guilty. When they arrest only Omar, they torture him and force him to help them catch Tarek.

Amjad is doubly the villain when he claims he made Nadia pregnant. In the boys' scuffle the enraged Tarek is killed. The disillusioned Omar lets Nadia marry Amjad.

Though Omar's early release from arrest feeds suspicion he is the Israeli agent's collaborator, again the true villain has been Amjad.

The film's political bias begins with the harsh wall Omar has to scale to get to Nadia and back home. The physical separation of the lovers has no other function than to show the controversial wall and generate the instant anger it arouses. The wall can be read as the obstacle Israel has forced upon Palestinian normalcy, but that ignores the security reasons which necessitated it (i.e., the terrorist/freedom fighters bombing Israel cafes and other civilian gatherings).

The torture scenes are also inflammatory. Omar's torture to extract information is most disturbing, even given that he was involved in the fatal attack. But his more arbitrary stop earlier, after climbing the wall, is — though less violent — an equally troubling charge of Israel's bullying and incendiary abuse.

Then there is the film's final twist. Spoiler alert. We're led to believe Omar wants to kill Amjad whose lies ruined Nadia's and Omar's romance. He arranges to get a gun from his Israeli handler, who arrives with armed bodyguards. As the handler shows Omar how to use the pistol Omar turns and kills him. Black screen.

As Omar is doubtless shot on the spot, his act is equivalent to a suicide bombing. Our valorous hero is giving up his life to take one Israeli's, albeit the man who has manipulated and abused him. Moreover, he is forgoing avenging Amjad's betrayal to kill an Israeli instead. The implication is that whatever differences may separate Palestinians, they should be set aside to attack their common enemy. Although the film eschews extremist rhetoric like "Kill the Jews" its narrative sets up that uncompromising thrust. For my take on Bethlehem (inter alia) see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.

A film Shakespeare could have written

[HedgehoginPS · 9/10 · 14 January 2014]

If the saga of Omar were a wine, it would have to be described as "Shakespearian, with notes of Dante, Orwell, Golding, and Sartre." Omar is a basically decent, seemingly uncomplicated young bakery worker who is inexorably drawn into the violent political warfare of the West Bank through his love for a girl, his increasingly radicalized circle of friends from childhood, and Israeli injustice. Right up to its unexpected, yet expectable, ending Omar is more victim than protagonist.

Clearly anti-Israeli in tone, the film explores the many reasons why Palestinians maintain an abiding antagonism toward Israel and Israelis. A driving metaphor in the film is the 25 foot high wall that Omar scales regularly to visit Nadia, his intended. Although The Wall was ostensibly designed to separate the Jewish West Bank settlements from Palestinians, it even more effectively separates Palestinian towns, families, and friends from one another--and from their water supplies in many places. To visit a neighboring town along is course has often become virtually impossible for having to detour long distances around the wall's tortuous path and passing through multiple checkpoints. Similarly, the Israeli military and police strive to divide and isolate individuals and groups psychologically just as the wall does physically. It's a classic use of divide-and-conquer strategy, which is one of the film's principal plot threads. Whatever your views of the Israel-Palestine situation, this thoroughly absorbing film will challenge them.

An engaging thriller and love story with a political background. Oscar worthy.

[JohnDeSando · 21 February 2014]

"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a tragedy, a clash between one very powerful, very convincing, very painful claim over this land and another no less powerful, no less convincing claim." Amos Oz

It's not easy to fit the story of Romeo and Juliet into a thriller about the Arab-Israeli conflict, but filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad does it with care and believability. So good is he in that balancing act that the notoriously endless national struggle is almost overshadowed by the challenging love Omar (Adam Bakri) has for Nadja (Leem Lubany).

Palestinian Omar, an impassioned freedom fighter in a street gang, becomes ensnared in a convoluted plot as an informant after being tricked into admitting his guilt by association for an Israeli's murder. The major theme is betrayal, found everywhere, informing every life.

Scaling the giant separation wall running through occupied Palestine to visit Nadja, however, is less scary than the torture Israelis inflict on him and the betrayal they demand. How he will free himself when he is caught in a covert action is the thriller part of the story.

Taking the pretzel plot one step further is the trickery of getting Omar to be an informant and the torturous path he must take as the tries to play both sides. Indeed, moments occur when the audience may not be sure which side Omar is on as he fights for his life and his love. No matter, family and nationalism will be major players in his fate.

The film is a powerful screed against the tactics and dominance of Israelis and a simple Shakespearean-like tale of loyalty, love, and jealousy. With the exception of Waleed Zuaiter as Agent Rami, because the actors are new to acting, they bring naturalism to the all-too-real conflict.

The narrow alleys through which Omar races aptly represent the dangerous nature of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Neither Nablus nor Nazareth is filmed in any glamorous way. With the impressive claustrophobic compositions and sets, outside and inside, the director has even more skillfully shown through his star-crossed lovers that this war in not over for soldiers or lovers anytime soon:

"I believe that in the long run, separation between Israel and the Palestinians is the best solution for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." Yitzhak Rabin

Technically well made...

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 10 May 2014]

Omar is an Oscar-nominated film that was made in Israel and Palestinian territory by a filmmaker (Hany Abu-Assad) and actors who are apparently Israeli citizens but are ethnic Palestinians. It was mostly funded by folks in Palestinian territory. Not surprisingly, it takes a decidedly anti-Israel point of view—which is not surprising. However, the way the film worked out depressed me and wondered how the film was received in the West Bank and Gaza. I hope there were no standing ovations at the end.

The film is about a Palestinian guy (Omar, played by Adam Bakri) who, along with a couple friends, shoot an Israeli soldier. Oddly, the Israeli authorities seem to know almost instantly that Omar was involved and they arrest and torture him until he agrees to work for them covertly. However, once he's released, Omar doesn't do exactly what he agreed to do and begins work on additional terrorist activities. Soon, he's arrested again and this time he begs to have a second chance to work for Israeli intelligence. The reason seems to be because Omar is in love with a girl and is even willing to consider helping the Jews in order to avoid spending the rest of his life in prison. What exactly happens next, you'll just need to see for yourself.

Technically speaking, Omar is a very good film. Its plot is engaging, the acting and direction are very nice. It is a movie, however, that is bound to ruffle a lot of feathers. When I saw the film, especially the ending, I felt very disturbed. The film clearly takes a stand against the Israeli government and their handling of the Palestinians—some of these complaints are very reasonable. But, at the same time, the film also seems to throw gasoline on the hatred that is already there— especially the ending which seemed to stoke the fires of hate. It could have chosen the high road but didn't. It also tended to direct the viewer more against Israel's use of torture and the work of their secret police as opposed to the main characters who are terrorists who killed someone and planned on killing more. In fact, with a different ending, it would have made the film a lot better. Now I am NOT a guy with super-strong opinions about Israel and the Palestinians—though I know more violence isn't the solution. I am much more wondering if there ever is a chance for peace and, unfortunately, assume there isn't. This film does not appear to be working hard in that direction but on inflaming instead. On the other hand, I assume I am just wasting my time complaining. If you are inclined to really hate Israel, you'll love the film. If you are inclined to hate Palestinians, you'll hate the film. And, if you see both sides as perpetuating death (regardless of which one is MORE at fault—this sort of thinking gets us nowhere)…well, perhaps you might just want to watch something else.

I am sorry that my review seems less like a review than a commentary, but with this sort of film it's practically impossible NOT to have your own opinions and biases affect the way you see and assess the film. You decide if it's worth seeing.

"Do you know how they catch monkeys in Africa?"

[oscaralbert · 10/10 · 24 February 2014]

By addicting them to sugar cubes, and then constructing a simple trap in which the faster primate is caught by the smarter (human) primate, who knows that a sugar-addicted monkey will lose his freedom forever rather than kissing a sugar cube grasped in a closed fist goodbye--even when opening that fist would make for an easy escape. OMAR asks the question haunting the Middle East for decades: "Who is the monkey?" From the perspective of this flick, at least, everyone over there is "the monkey." The most devious main character in this story gets ALL the sugar, while it's curtains for the rest of them. OMAR's lesson is that you can survive in a trouble zone if you're an unprincipled back-stabber. On the other hand, if you have any moral standards at all, they'll surely bring you to an early grave in the troubled Middle East. Many previous films prove this state of affairs also prevailed during "The Troubles" in Ireland, as well as in Civil War America, and countless other conflict sectors. OMAR's best survival tip: Move to New Zealand. (Hobbits are friendlier than people.)

suspenseful Propaganda

[elad3531 · 6/10 · 3 February 2014]

It is Difficult to recommend over the film "Omar" . The Palestinian Movie, who took the Jury Prize " Certain Regard " at Cannes last year and is among the five finalists for the Oscar for best foreign film , is quite impressive thriller , but also one- sided in a manner that creating alienation from the characters leading it.

"Omar" is the fifth full-length film of the Palestinian director Hany Abu - Assad and the first film entirely funded by Palestinian Authority .Abu - Assad won acclaim for his film " Paradise Now ," which was nominated for an Oscar foreign film in 2005. As "Paradise Now ," which use generic conventions of suspense and crime to describe a plot about two young Palestinians who plan to carry out a suicide bombing in Israel, " Omar " uses the same conventions and creates an exciting and accessible film, which holds a clear political message .

The film tells the story of Omar (an impressive debut of Adam Bakri, the son of actor and director Mohammad Bakri), a young Palestinian, who with his two friends , Amjad and Tariq , performs an assassination of an Israeli soldier . Omar is arrested by the Shin Bet and asked to cooperate in order to incriminate his friends and thus save himself from prison and reunite with his beloved Nadia, sister of Tariq, which may be involved in a romantic triangle with his friend Amjad .

If the plot sounds similar to the Israeli film " Bethlehem " , it is indeed because it's similar in many forms . As " Bethlehem ", This film also describes a relationship between a young Palestinian and GSS agent and the double life which forced over the Palestinian to conduct in order to maneuver between loyalty to his friends and satisfy the demands of his operator's agent . The problem in "Omar" is that unlike " Bethlehem " it presents an unilateral presentation of the conflict , which makes the Israeli side look like a demonic monster that abuse Palestinians for pleasure (two key scenes in the movie showing casual abuse of soldiers in Omar and atrocious abuse of the GSS agent at Omar during interrogation) and the separation barrier as an obstacle placed randomly for no reason in the middle of the village and designed solely to disrupt the lives of the Palestinians.

Although the film have some harsh internal criticism over the violence and conservatism in Palestinian society , this party presented both over his advantages and disadvantages ,unlike the one-sided presentation of the Israeli occupier which makes it somewhat of a propaganda film .

To his credit, the film is expertly directed and despite a certain tendency to melodramatic moments and repetition of key scenes , it is interesting viewing experience contains a small number of surprising narrative twists , suspenseful chase scenes and a high production level . The film's final scene where Omar performs the final election over his loyalties , may divide the audience , but also leave him with a rather bitter taste in the mouth.

Excellent emotional and human thriller, with a political backdrop

[runamokprods · 9/10 · 16 August 2014]

Though it has it's occasional flaws (some overstatement) this is generally a terrific political thriller.

A young Palestinian radical is put through the emotional, moral and physical wringer after being blackmailed into becoming an informer (or at least professing to) for the Israelis, following an arrest that could put him in jail for life. While Abu-Assad's sympathies clearly lie with the Palestinians, his characters and situations are much more complex and human than good guys and bad guys. He sees the damage that being in a constant state of war and occupation does to both sides.

Beyond that, this is not a 'political' film first. It's complex web of betrayal, love, fear, bravery, and paranoia could be anywhere two sides are facing off in a morally and politically complex situation, especially where one side is a guerrilla uprising, the other an established government. It could be Ireland and the IRA, or South Africa in the more militant days of the ANC. The beauty and terror of Abu-Assad's film is that it's about people not ideology. And the reality that people on both sides are capable of great good and great evil, often for reasons personal as much as political. I happened to see this within days of the also critically acclaimed "Bethlehem" which tells a remarkably similar tale, but from an Israeli point of view. Seeing both heightened the power of each -- for where they overlapped and where they differed. I'd recommend seeing both to anyone interested in good, human thrillers and who is interested in examining the middle east conflict in more than simple 'right and wrong' terms.

Taut Love Story Set on the West Bank

[l_rawjalaurence · 7/10 · 20 March 2014]

OMAR is a complex film balancing a love-story involving the eponymous central character (Adam Bakri), his girlfriend Nadia (Leem Lubany), and his close friends Tarek (Ilyad Hoorani) and Amjad (Samer Basharat). All three young men are Palestinian freedom fighters, committed to the cause of fighting the Israelis, but this does not prevent them from becoming personally involved in a complicated lover-affair. However director Hany Abu-Assad overlays this story with another plot, in which Omar is tricked by Israeli agent Rami (Maleed Zuaiter) into informing on his Palestianian cohorts. The film's love-story elements have a distinct ROMEO AND JULIET feel about them, especially when Omar has to keep crossing into forbidden territory to see Nadia, running the perpetual risk of capture by Israeli soldiers. And just as in Shakespeare's play, director Abu-Assad suggests that the love-affair is doomed, both due to circumstances as well as politics. The torture-scenes in the prison are graphically handled, reminding us of just how brutal life can be, once Omar has been captured, and why he is forced into becoming a traitor. However the film ends with him winning a Pyrrhic victory over his Israeli agent. The film is full of visual reminders of the realities of living in the West Bank: there are continual shots of advertisements promising an ideal world (one, in English, talks about reconciliation, while another advertises a well-known brand of men's suits, with a blonde-haired model) that contrast starkly with the scenes of destruction in which the Palestianians reside. The chase-sequences lead us on a labyrinthine journey through this world; every corridor, it seems, conceals freedom-fighters desperate to continue the struggle. Some of the plot-lines in OMAR might seem familiar, but the material is handled in a harsh, uncompromising manner. The film fully deserves its Oscar nomination.

Depressing love story thriller

[paulclaassen · 5/10 · 8 August 2018]

A film about loyalty, trust, devotion and betrayal. Although this is a well made film and the actors were very good, I got a feeling at one point the film was going in circles. It was as if the film played twice, but with different circumstances. There is a surprise twist at the end and then a very good ending. Despite this, though, I actually found the film quite depressing and not really a pleasure to watch from an entertainment perspective. The film is billed as an "incredible love story" - uhm, I agree to a certain extent. To me the love story set-up felt very one-dimensional. It is not a film I'll be keen on watching again.

Review: Omar/ www.nightfilmreviews.com

[lucasnochez · 8/10 · 9 March 2014]

In a world according to Paradise Now director Hany Abu-Assad, death, murder and revolt is currently a right of passage to manhood and way of life in the West Bank. Hearts-pounding, sweat dripping, pulses racing; three friends and militants affiliated with the Aksa Martyrs Brigades find themselves organizing a sniper attack on an Israeli Military post that will find their friendships, loyalties and lives changed forever.

Omar is the name of the film and is also the name of our main protagonist (Adam Bakri) one of the three friends whose sensitivity, loyalty, passion for life, and love of the cause are unflinching. Omar is a Palestinian living in the West Bank who, like most, are subjected to an intolerable amount of injustice and mistreatment as anyone else currently living in the West Bank from the Israeli Defence Force. The location of the West Bank, has just as much if not more to say itself than the film in question, but for the sake of the flow of this review, let's not get into a discussion of history. Taut, riveting and desperate, Omar is a suspenseful film in constant pursuit of truth.

Omar is a freedom fighter, led by his childhood friend and best buddy Tarek (Iyad Hoorani), and joined by their younger, marshmallowy and goofy friend Amjad (Samer Bisharat). The three friends plan out a violent and extremely dangerous mission to help the Palestinian cause. Although their efforts are valiant, essentially, they become killers. Omar tells a story of one man's life in the grande scheme of things and in the on-going battle between Jews and Arabs for a Holy Land; a land who's soil is drenched with the bloody memories of the lives once lived.

Part high-tension chase film, part intricate prison/interrogation drama, Omar could easily be confused with a political-thriller that would and could be directed by Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips); thanks to the film's effortless ability to share many of the same idealistic political views of its people, its military, its innocent and its guilty. Throughout the film, it seems that Omar is the only one in the group getting hassled, arrested and tortured, until, he mistakenly confesses about the sniper shooting to the officer in charge of him Rami (Waleed Zuaiter). As a Palestinian freedom fighter, Omar is reminded over and over again that there is nothing worse than collaborating with Jews, not even death. After facing countless attacks within the prison, being accused of treason and as collaborating with Jews, Omar's greatest challenge is to convince his peers, fellow patriots, the love of his life Nadia (Leem Lubany), as well as himself of the choices and actions he must make to clear his name and garner the trust that seems far from reach.

As the plot of the film progresses, Omar, a once simple baker working outside the West Bank, daydreaming of a Honeymoon with his girlfriend and hopeful wife Nadia, becomes a conspirator of each person around him and their elaborate plans against the opposition. Omar climbs the wall the divides his worlds so that he may exchange simple love letters with Nadia and they try to plan their future together, a future that soon becomes thwarted by a Defense Force that will do anything to get Tarek, even if it means crumbling Omar's world. The film quickly progresses to a spellbinding and exhausting flee of terror from authorities and so many questionable ideals which each side exhibits.

Filmmaker Abu-Assad, who was born in Nazareth, and is no stranger to the dangers of life in the West Bank, uses Omar and his fine skills as a director to catch up and keep pace with the athletic, constantly in-pursuit protagonist. Beaten, bruised, bloodied and broken, Omar represents a proud and very real population of Arab people. Between discreet close-up panning shots, to questionable editing and pacing, the film seems almost documentary-esque. Thankfully, Abu-Assad handles the film gracefully and unbiased, presenting the very real terrors endured by either side.

Omar then becomes a film that allows anyone, including audiences, to "believe the unbelievable", even if the final ending feels forced, and completely unexpected. Perhaps, that's the point though. Like any good hunter, the best way to lure one's prey, is to entice them with the promise of nourishment (in our case knowledge) without consequence. Omar teases us with this, and then quickly rips it away, giving us only confusion and questions unanswered. Only few things remain once the screen fades to black, and one of them is the reality of the people living through hardship and the far-fetched promise of change. The other promise Omar leaves us with is the promise of the power of love–whether that love be the love of a woman, the love of family, the power and love of friendship or love of country, the choice is up to you.

Sociopolitics Translated to Story

[mccarthyedits · 8/10 · 22 June 2014]

I watched Omar (2013, directed by Hany Abu-Assad) last night and thought how well Abu-Assad translated a twisting, conniving, chaotic, and disruptive sociopolitical situation to the mis-en-scene and plot points of his film. The story hooked me the moment it began and didn't let go until the end, or perhaps even after it ended. My only complaint came from initially thinking that the plot points seemed forced and overly-contrived. However, once I had time to think and discuss the film with my wife Hannah, I began to see how the story followed the situation in the West Bank. The character's lives are surrounded by conceit and violence. They maneuver through their neighborhoods over walls and through back alleys. This mindset is encapsulated in the story.The acting and cinematography furthers its cause. We are left scratching our heads, but that's what the citizens of the West Bank do year-after-year and the I believe that's the greater point Abu-Assad is trying to make.

Exciting thriller from Palestine

[rubenm · 6/10 · 18 November 2013]

The film 'Omar' doesn't pretend to be balanced. It's a Palestine-made, Palestine-financed film, showing the Palestine view on the conflict. That view is clear: the Israelis are cruelly and ruthlessly oppressing a brave people, fighting for freedom and independence.

Personally, I think this way of looking at things is rather accurate. But the flip side is that this doesn't make the film more interesting. It doesn't provide any new insight on the conflict. It confirms what we know about it, or think to know. In that respect, another recent film about the same subject, 'The Attack', is much more subtle because it shows the conflict from an unexpected, original viewpoint.

But 'Omar' is by no means an uninteresting film. It's a very exciting thriller about how paranoid you can get by being a forced undercover informant. After having participated in the killing of an Israeli soldier, Omar gets arrested. In prison, he faces a dilemma. Spending the rest of his life in prison, or becoming an informant and thus being able to marry his cute girlfriend. He chooses the latter, but then refuses to inform the Israelis about an ambush that is being set up by his Palestine friends. He becomes entangled in a web of lies, betrayal and shifting allegiances. He cannot trust anyone, not even his girlfriend.

The story is well filmed and acted, but has a few weaknesses. Sometimes I had trouble understanding what exactly was going on. Also unclear was the geographical situation. We see Omar climbing the famous wall between Israel en Palestine, but to me it was not clear which part of the story is set in Palestine and which part is in Israel. The wall climbing seems to be a mere gimmick, it doesn't have any function or meaning in the story. Nevertheless, near the end there are some very surprising plot twists. At one point, you can almost feel Omar's desperation when he realizes that some of the most important choices he made in his life were based on lies and treason. The very last scene is also unexpected and very strong.

As a thriller set against the background of the Palestine-Israel conflict, this film works very well. But don't expect to learn something about the conflict you didn't already know.

One last remark: I couldn't help but notice how similar the theme of this film is to 'Shadow Dancer', a recent Irish film about a female IRA-fighter being forced by British intelligence to become an undercover informant. In this case, it was the love for her young child that made her do it.

Great film about Occupation

[pal-1991 · 10/10 · 20 January 2014]

This movie is filled with drama and action , and tragic romantic story

it also exposes the reality of situation in Palestine under Israeli Apartheid and Occupation it also shows the daily life pf Palestinians under occupation farther more , the director Hani Abu Assad ,who made "Paradise Now" movie , which nominated Academy Award in 2006 , but failed to win due to Israeli pressure on Academy

in "Omar" we can see love beyond the Apartheid WALL , we can see sacrifices for love , facing shooting by Israeli Snipers from the watching towers , while Omar passing above the Wall, and then arresting and abused by Israeli occupation forces to be a collaborator (traitor to Palestine ) , using his love as a pressure

John LeCarre' twists and turns with a "win-win" ending!

[rogermehus · 9 February 2014]

A John LeCarre' thriller with evolving and unexpected twists and turns resulting in a Win-Win Ending! Initially it appears to be a take on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with intermittent nods to other Shakespeare plays. It expands to include two committed freedom fighters and one "Walter Mitty" who wants to impress "Juliet" who likes everyone and wants to be involved in the freedom fight herself (implications related to the ending). The action and related suspense races off through narrow alleys when one plans an assassination, another steals a car forcing "Walter Mitty" to produce . . . to commit the assassination. From this point on, we only see what others see, limited information that is subject to multiple interpretations resulting in unintended interactions with the master spy pulling one set of strings (who is pulling the others). Quite literally, the last "shot" leaves the ending open to interpretation depending on your internal perspectives: Omar as the heroic Martyr . . . or . . . both know the first bullet is a blank and the second is real . . . only one knows the third is blank. A fine example of Alan McGlashan's "Paradox" – Truth at either end of the spectrum! "Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so!" Shakespeare

Focused, Enthralling, but Spiteful

[pc95 · 7/10 · 7 September 2014]

(spoilers)It's difficult to understand others points of view sometimes, the proverbial 'putting yourself in ones shoes'. Director Hany Abu-Assad helps to get over that problem in his enthralling and focused 2013 movie "Omar". It is focused, well-written, and mostly entertaining. The problem of occupation, mistreatment, and over-reaction is cyclical. The characters and indeed the actors look too young - but they've done a very good job. Causes are born and learned so early, the cycle seems guaranteed. The movies undertones are unfortunately spiteful and venomous. I've not seen a stronger and disheartening finish from another movie for some time. Recommended.

not 100% realistic but has a message to deliver

[sharaf-bar · 10/10 · 5 March 2014]

The movie tells a story about four young Palestinians, three guys who are friends and involved in the line of resistance, and a girl who is a sister of one of them and the other two love her.... its normal that many reviews are simply biased regarding the Palestinian - Israeli conflict, but we are not in the 1960's anymore, the whole world know what is it like in Palestine, its not that easy to manipulate the Israeli secret service, but there are many cases of Palestinian spies who work with the Israelis after being blackmailed and the movie's main message is those people, who get involved in working with the Israelis for many reasons such as threatening their families lives or filming them having sex with Israeli females and using that in order to get them work with them.... so I'd say that giving the fact we are in 2014 I believe everyone in the world should know what is happening in reality.

talking about the movie, it is not a 5 star quality, but it is worth watching specially for those who have no idea what is going on in Palestine.

Paradise Now.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 6/10 · 31 March 2017]

2015:

Taking part in the first festival on IMDb's Film Festival board (RIP), I found one of the most intriguing-sounding titles to be a movie that I was sadly unable to find anywhere to watch in the UK.

2017:

Keeping the film on the list of titles I wanted to track down,I was absolutely thrilled to stumble on the movie on Netflix UK,which led to me finally meeting Omar.

The plot:

Returning from the West Bank barrier after secretly meeting his girlfriend Nadia,Omar gets beaten up by Israeli soldiers. Telling his pals Tarek and Amjad about the beating,the guys decide to stage an attack at a checkpoint. During the attack,Amjad kills an Israeli solider. Despite not being the killer, Tarek gets stuck with being the one accused of the killing,as Omar gets arrested. Imprisoned, Omar is given a new barrier in life,of being a double agent.

View on the film:

Shot round the barrier of Israeli and Palestine,writer/director Hany Abu-Assad & cinematographer Ehab Assal give the title a stylish crispness which glitters in on location tracking shots keeping up with Omar's race to escape the divide he is trapped in. Imprisoning Omar (passionately played by an intense Adam Bakri) Abu-Assad closes in with tightly coiled close-ups that are released as Omar decides that he only has one action left to free himself of the betrayal from all sides.

Casting Nadia and Omar against a heart-felt Romeo and Juliet backdrop,the screenplay by Abu-Assad (who wrote it in 4 days!) wonderfully counters the slick camera moves via a gripping deconstruction of Omar's trust,which is visually bruised by the horrific beating Omar gets from the soldiers,and psychologically left a thousand pieces by the dominating doubts Nadia,Amjad and Tarek has that Omar is betraying them. While hitting the friendship between the trio with a great final twist, Abu-Assad fails to go in depth with the bond between each of them,with the situations largely lacking the emotional intensity that the situations desire,as Omar finds a barrier of betrayal.

Is love a strength or weakness?

[sol- · 8/10 · 24 December 2015]

Afraid of never seeing his girlfriend again, an imprisoned Palestinian turns Israeli police informant in this intense thriller with more to it than meets the eye. At first, the film seems to simply be about the struggle for love to blossom among youths in war zone conditions, but as the film progresses, it transforms into a study of how this very human characteristic is used by everyone around the protagonist to manipulate him. He is coerced into assisting in dangerous 'freedom fighting' acts by his girlfriend's brother under the understanding that this will convince him to consent to their engagement. Later, the Israeli police scare him into thinking that working for them is the only way he will ever see the girl he loves again. And then later still, he learns of a shocking betrayal by a childhood friend in regards to the girl. Adam Bakri gives a superb performance throughout as the title character, but his realisation of the betrayal towards the end is his strongest scene with perfectly intruding close-up camera- work allowing us to see his every facial muscle flinch. The whole film is well shot though, with intimate close-ups throughout and lots of active camera-work, running at times with Bakri all over the ancient buildings of Israel. Not everything about the plot quite adds up, but the events on hand manage to spiral to a potent conclusion and the distinct lack of music over the closing credits is an excellent touch. While not a political film at its forefront, 'Omar' offers a chilling account of how something as basic as affection has a hard time surviving when everyone has their own agenda.

Treason and counter-treason

[valadas · 7/10 · 1 April 2018]

Thia movie is not exactly about the fight for freedom and the end of the occupation of Palestine by Israel although the plot takes place on that frame and the three main protagonists are freedom fighters. On that aspect everything goes in an atmosphere of treason and counter-treason dramatically complicated by the personal relations among them and by the love involving one of them with one of the other's sister. In the frame of the resistance against the occupant there occurs the attempt by Israeli authorities to convince the fighters when arrested, through torture and brainwashing, to become collaborationist informants. Everything of this develops itself simultaneously, leading to highly dramatic scenes all the movie along. This is anyway a movie worth to be seen.

Very disappointed could have been so much more

[tttw-09899 · 3/10 · 28 May 2015]

I watched this film and had high expectations based on other reviews on here and i was really disappointed. I could not even bother to watch the last few minutes of the film as i had by then lost interest in the whole film. This had the potential to be a great low budget film and started out good enough but then got worse due to a bad script and some amateur acting. I don't want to include spoilers but around midway this film just started to fall apart and got so unbelievable i could not bother watching it to the end. They did a good job at the start of creating the atmosphere of distrust and suspense but did not exploit it and the script was so weak really a big let down as it could have been so much better.