The Zohar Secret (2016) User Reviews

Very weak! Do not believe the positive reviews

[jmgindiana · 4/10 · 4 November 2015]

I've not seen such a blatant attempt to artificially boost a movie for a long time. Especially considering this movie is a small independent project. The guys/gals behind this "strategy" should consider for a second that giving a pretty flawed movie overwhelmingly positive reviews produces a negative effect, since the viewer's expectations are higher, and as a result he ends up being more disappointed.

About the movie, and being as objective as I can, it starts pretty good and interesting, following an unknown guy going through different time periods carrying some kind of manuscript. That part of the movie is nice, flowing quickly, and making good use of an obviously limited budget. To some extent, it reminded me of the original "Highlander".

However, the movie stops at one of said time periods, and mostly grinds to a halt, to introduce a confusing romance subplot. Worse of all, it introduces the main character's alter ego, who appears in every time period to exposit the flick's questionable and confusing philosophy.

The rest of the movie follows exactly the same pattern: main character ends in a low-budget version of a time period, his alter ego appears, they talk, etc. There is no action, no drama, no suspense, no spectacle. The last third of the movie takes place in a dilapidated insane asylum, and ANYONE who has ever seen a movie can predict the outcome. Worse of all, the flick is almost two hours long, easily half an hour longer than it needed to be.

I didn't like the movie at all, although I respect the effort made by the filmmakers delivering such an ambitious project with very little money. However, the end result is a very flawed, boring and confusing movie.

A for the effort, D for the result, F for the attempt to con the viewers into watching the movie with fake reviews.

Perhaps, we are living in a dream; when we die, we will wake up.

[selman-erol · 5/10 · 21 May 2020]

I watched the movie without knowing anything about Zohar. It is an interesting subject in history. Yes, the movie is a little bit long but from beginning to end it keeps intriguing sense. If you are interested in reencarnation, rebirth, such subjects, you will get satisfaction from the movie.

Surely well meant but Loooong journey through the centuries...literally, as it dragged a bit

[OneSentenceReview · 4/10 · 28 February 2022]

Cought myself thinking while watching "a few friends at film school liking 12monkeys, CloudAtlas, OneFlewOverTheCookoosNest and DaVinciCode somehow got a big(ish) budget and let rip" ...well why not.

But how about dialogue,story etc?

And Comedy,reeally? Who laughed more than twice raise the hand...oh, all aslewp, well.

Although great environment/costumes/background/props/scenery the script & (missing) dialogue is just not entertaining enough for 2h runtime.

And doesnt always make sense either, but hey, what does.

Don't believe the IMDb stars of this movie.

[pedrofpardo · 1/10 · 25 October 2015]

This is definitely not a 8 stars movie. I wouldn't give it more than 4 stars. The rest of reviews here looks written by the same person. It's obviously a scam like all the 10 stars votes to get a better score. So I'm going to write a real review.

The story is full of all these pseudo-religious esoteric bullshit. You can see how the budget was low since they never show cities, villages or anything like that. The action it's always on interiors, caves, ruins, and old abandon buildings. The story is repetitive and unnecessary long. Since the very beginning you can imagine how is going to be the whole movie so you are just waiting and waiting until the end. And then at the end, more of this consciousness awakening bullshit. Don't waste your time.

This is the review that I would like to see here before I saw this movie.

Don't always rely on IMDb

[guidomamone · 1/10 · 1 January 2016]

I not going to add much more than what was already described by other user. This movie had almost nine stars but it was just a bubble. Don't waste your time, it is a repetitive movie with no good acting, dialogs, etc.

If you don't really believe in the bubble stuff, go check the distribution of the votes.

At to date, 80% votes are 10/10. It's just impossible, The Shawshank Redemption (#1 in Top 250) has 50%.

Its obvious that a bunch of guys took the time to artificially inflate the number of stars. It wouldn't be the first time, nor the last.

generates hope...

[mary-miesem · 3 October 2014]

Feeling helpless to do anything about it as the world seems to spiral out of control seems a common state these days. This film talks beautifully about how together, we the people of the world, can shift the global environment to one of altruism and cooperation rather than greed and dog-eat-dog. The Zohar Secret provides the method for changing ourselves and our relationships with each other rather than trying to force others to change. And it's all an inside job.

I agree with another reviewer that this film was not what I expected. It's not some esoteric, intellectual treatise, but an emotionally moving guidebook, so to speak, for how each of us finds and executes our part in the healing of our world. It gives me hope that humanity itself, all of us together, has the power to re-stabilize the balance on our planet.

A simple premise done very artfully

[garcianc2003 · 7/10 · 17 April 2018]

7/10

I recently saw The Zohar Secret in Amazon Prime and decided to give it a shot.

The story begins with Max, a Roman soldier, being charged with the return of one of the recently discovered scrolls of Zohar to Jerusalem. Why this is so vitally important to anyone else but Max is not fully explained by the film and is arguably not critically important to the movie. Neither is the significance of Zohar, and whether this is the same Zohar of Jewish literature, explained.

It feels strange to say that this is not a spoiler, but Max dies in the first few minutes of the film, but only to come back in another time and place (always in the future) - a cycle that continues as long as the scroll is not returned to its rightful place. Following along in these episodes is Max's doppleganger, sometimes as a character of the time or other times as an alter ego, who acts as the antagonist and the only one who seems to know everything, including all that has happened to Max to that point. We are never sure if the doppleganger is real or imaginary. Was he cursed along with Max when they are both killed in the catacomb? or is Max imagining him? These leaps of time and space from Max's point of view are the most effective part of the film. After each leap, we share in Max's disorientation as we discover our new existence and share in his apprehension not knowing if he will die within minutes or live a full life only to learn at the end that the quest must still be fulfilled.

The cinematography and design of period pieces and wardrobe are excellent, particularly for a film with such a modest budget. As I was watching this film, I was wondering if this would be the best film I would see this year or if I would be disappointed at the end. Yes, early parts of this film are that brilliant.

The story wraps up with a seed of doubt in the viewer as to the reliability of our protagonist as the point of view of the story. Fine, I thought, and allowed myself to play along expecting this would be a perfect setup for some amazing reveal. However, in my opinion, the ending is disappointing and lacking in the artistry of the rest of the film. It gives the impression of a hurried production and a patchwork of different directions, anyone of which could have been the ending only to be all conveniently tidied up as the credits roll. Too bad. I was rooting to be swept away at the end of the quest.

A mystical confusion, too histrionic and repetitive.

[filipemanuelneto · 2/10 · 5 June 2017]

This film is my first foray into contemporary Russian cinema, a kind of cinema of rare international spread and virtually unknown here in Western Europe. Although I was expecting something else, I wasn't very disappointed because I didn't expect too much either. The true Zohar is a series of commentaries to the Torah, written to clarify their reading and interpretation, a concern for the Jews of that period, as they increasingly faced the need to hide their faith and spread out. Thus, Zohar was a naturally codified book, addressed to Jewish judges and priests and made to prevent them from coming out of orthodoxy. Despite that, these film's Zohar is a kind of magical parchment with secrets about the nature of Man's existence. In addition, the film relies on the ever-controversial idea of ​​reincarnation, as a way for Man to correct their mistakes and evolve, a concept imported from Hinduism and Eastern philosophies a few decades ago, by New Age theorists and shamans.

Thus, the fim's script is the story of a character, originally Roman, who finds a magical scroll that he must return to it's rightful place, and this task becomes a duty passed from reincarnation to reincarnation, in a game of cat and mouse that we hardly understand and that ends up becoming repetitive and annoying. The succession of lives and historical contexts makes everything meaningless and we begin to think what the hell of movie we're watching. The dialogues of spiritualistic content couldn't be more boring, enigmatic and hermetic. Historical likelihood is also debatable, especially with regard to costumes of some periods. Thus, the final product is a confusing and repetitive film, absurdly imaginative and implausible as a surrealistic dream. The nature of the parchment is never explained and the lack of connection between the audience and the main character makes us never worry about what happens to him.

The film that is guaranteed to keep you at the edge of your seat

[ElbyCarvacos · 10/10 · 28 May 2014]

A thought-provoking, emotionally-packed and dynamic film that is guaranteed to keep you at the edge of your seat and left questioning the meaning of your life long after it ends. Max has been dealt the burden of carrying a manuscript that holds the power to change the entire course of human history- a burden he never asked for, nor truly understands. As he incarnates from person to person, era to era, an ever-persistent "self" of his continually haunts him, urging and manipulating him towards the pursuit of the inescapable purpose that He and the whole of humanity are bound to. The dichotomy between Max's interest to enjoy a pleasant, normal life, and the ever-increasing pressures that historical events/conditions and his other "Self" administer to him set the grounds for a movie experience that transcends the boundaries of an impersonal narrative and instead seeps into the conscious realm of our present-day reality, personal life, and deepest emotional questions.

Long, boring and certainly not as good as some want to make you believe.

[deloudelouvain · 3/10 · 6 February 2016]

People giving this movie a ten out of ten rating must be as delusional as the character himself. I tried really hard to be open minded like some reviewers said before starting to watch The Zohar Secret. But after one hour I had real troubles keeping concentrated on the movie. It's all very confusing and most of all boring. Okay the producers might not have a big budget but that's not an excuse to make a bad movie. First of all it's way too long and second of all way too boring and repetitive. I won't say that all the positive reviewers are involved in some way with the movie. Some might, but I also think some people have just an awful taste in movies. Like one reviewer said, that he saw thousands of movies, I did also, and to him this one was the best ever, to me it doesn't appear in my top 1000 movies. Enough said!

Outstanding and thoughtful work.

[AlexAZ · 10/10 · 28 May 2014]

I don't usually take the time to write reviews, but I felt that after watching this film (twice in a row) I had to share my thoughts with the expectant viewer.

In any narrative, the protagonist typically plays the part of some subset of our own qualities - we associate ourselves with the hero, or the damsel, or the outsider - but in this film, the director has decanted the most basic human quality - the desire to live happily - and infused the lead role with its bare essence.

If the viewer is able to overcome their own ego and see themselves for who they are, this film imparts the unnerving sensation that you are witnessing yourself on the screen, unable to choose differently even in the face of overwhelming truth. The lead role is me, and it's you.

The key to seeing the depth of this film is in looking past the allegory to see the forest for the trees - resisting focus on the mission at hand to see the profound meaning in the choices and the surrounding force steering forward.

Outstanding and thoughtful work.

Nothing like you may expect

[katya-leites · 10/10 · 9 September 2014]

I will try to write this review with minimum insinuations that might be spoilers so I will intentionally be somewhat abstract… When I first heard about this movie and read the title, I immediately formed certain expectations about what it will be like. This movie is NOTHING like I imagined or expected. It is so rare in our days of "nothing new under the sun" for something to make you feel and think so deeply in unexpected ways. And surprisingly, it is very universal - not didactic or dogmatic in any particular way. What I really value in films is their ability, when the movie is over, to make you continue making new discoveries inside yourself influenced by it as the time passes… I felt exactly that for many days after watching it. It is an existential adventure somewhere very deep inside of you that I cannot even put into words

Check The Mirror - Reflections Of Eternity

[TheAnimalMother · 8/10 · 17 January 2016]

Please disregard the couple of reviews on here that didn't understand this film, and therefore went on to claim that the positive reviews are fake. This film is definitely not for the overly distracted. This is a brilliant and fairly original film concept inspired by ancient sacred teachings, and the execution is also excellent, even despite the small budget. This is a true independent film, funded at least partly by Kickstarter, and in my view, it's a gem.

This is an intellectual/spiritual film. If you're not looking for a film that will make you think, and if you're not interested in feeling, skip this. Not everyone is open enough to even get into this film. However open minded mystery and sci-fi lovers should at least like this film a decent amount. If it sounds interesting to you, give it a chance. I'm very thankful that I did.

If you liked or loved Darren Aronofsky's 'Pi', my bet is that you'll like or love this too. It's similar in ways, but yet much different as well. If you didn't like 'Pi', you likely won't like this film.

An eye-opener... great storyline and message

[bbchile-equipotecnico · 10/10 · 17 December 2014]

This movie is unlike anything else i've seen. There are many great drama and sci-fi movies that touch on the topic of the meaning of life and the purpose of humanity, but this movie really touches a nerve with its message. It's very well written and directed, with an excellent performance from the cast, whom i understand participated on this film because they believed in the importance of showcasing this to the world. The soundtrack truly enhances the film and the different parts of the world and settings where the movie was shot add greatly to the way the film develops. The book of Zohar has been a mystery throughout generations and this film manages to capture the unveiling of the message written in this book and how it can help humanity in discovering our true essence as human beings. The principles of love, unity and caring for the rest of society as we care about ourselves are the basis for building the better world we would all like to live in.

I really hope that this movie gets massive showcasing around the world.

Impressed!

[bokertov-elena · 10/10 · 23 December 2014]

This is such a special film, totally unexpected that I would like it so much. Funnily enough, it answered some of my inner questions. As for the plot, I don't want to unveil many details since I think it is journey every viewer should do by him/herself. But in a few words, it portrays the journey of humanity. And the film shows it in such a different approach to what I have seen before. I felt identified with many things shown on it. And it really awakened many things in me, it was eye-opening, since it presents a reflection on us as humanity and what we can do as such. There is the possibility of a better future. And it seems it all depends on us and how we treat each other. Really worth watching.

Bnei Baruch using the Holy Zohar for a media propaganda

[BenAvihu · 16 November 2018]

All the 10/10 votes are coming from Bnei Baruch's associated. Actors, composer, director, costumes, full budget it's all coming from their associated worldwide. It's propaganda which didn't work so well. The movie was made between 2011/12, not 2016.

Truly thought-provoking and unique

[tundibaby-61-954533 · 9/10 · 6 May 2016]

I've just seen this movie yesterday and cant stop thinking about the strong emotions it made me feel. I won't go into a praise only to be called delusional after by people who have clearly not grasped the concept and meaning of this film. If you are thinking about watching this movie, but are put off by the negative reviews, consider this:

Who are you going to believe?

The guys who claim they were open-minded enough to watch this film, but at the same time prove the opposite when denying every possibility that a person might actually, really, truthfully like this movie by stating that the positive reviews MUST be written by reviewers who are either delusional or paid, or simply have terrible taste

OR

the few people who say this movie is a gem, a one-of-a-kind creation with a deep meaning about life and humanity, but requires a certain type of world view and most of all, openness to be able to see the value in it.

The decision is yours to make.

The movie of splendor- a thought provoking lingering experience

[talullah82 · 10/10 · 29 December 2015]

I am not trying to write a review on the movie, as I think my words won't be enough to describe the lingering need for more I am left with, since I saw the movie for the second time in a day.

It is a thrilling experience and makes you think of questions like: "what would you do if you knew you were actually immortal?" "wouldn't you test your limits and wouldn't you make this life as thrilling as possible?"

I am very interested in spiritual movies, but not from a religious perspective and now I cannot get enough information about the movie and about the director. I would gladly watch any movies he will direct in the future with no shadow of a doubt that it would be again an amazing experience. I would definitely recommend this movie, for those who are seeking their inner self, and also to those who appreciate the cinematographic scenes that force you to think on the meaning of life. The director and the actor become one and the same. Creator and creation unite in the now.

Sublime!

nice simple puzzle with madness

[peljasz · 8/10 · 27 December 2017]

Hi people

I liked it because it has good acting in it. Music, I liked and where it played from and how sometimes was violently and abruptly stopped. Themes and scores are nice, I like them. Movie is funny. Filming is good, scenography is not bad, decently taken care of. It has funny moments. Story is simple, obvious, story is sad, it's not(?) that funny.. Story is about how tormented any of us can feel at times. How great burden often rest on our shoulders, which we have to carry, only we so often cannot tell who put it there. Maybe we did ourselves(?). Story is about how madness can be, is, a disease that each of us could very easily contract, or catch. And how when one is infected, impossible is to find a cure, or! even just to get some help.

The whole picture I found... light, bright... refreshing.

Listen, I picked up this film while browsing tens of movies in Amazon's Prime, just a click.. Look, I watched it while solving, playing with some computer machine problem. I could have gone for any other movie... I'm glad I did not.

Do not take seriously morons who say something like "..budget was small for it was filmed in caves, houses, ..." yet you watch in this movie creators spending(wasting?) a small fortune on a battle scenes. (morons naturally are people disabled in one way or another, nothing wrong with them, waste of time are those who claim they have something to say but what they give is a gibberish). Even if a budget is small, it does not matter(not to a filmmaker nor a cinema fan) for even for a half of small-budget one can make a nice piece.

I liked it, not everyone will.

Ambitious and thought through

[TheFilmographer · 8/10 · 15 December 2017]

This is a very ambitious film that very nearly manages to deliver the motherload. The engaging central (double) performance acts as glue in this complex script. It is a pity that other readers slated it just because they didn't understand it.

Two Paradigms of Knowledge: The Knowledge of Good/Evil, and the Knowledge of Wisdom and Understanding

[emmetmessenger · 9/10 · 10 June 2018]

This film resonated with me, as I am a student of kabbalah, based in the the ToRaH, properly translated 'Teaching of Light'. This film skillfully contrasts Max's alternating between a confused ignorance, which is a reflection of our human nature, its physical reality, and moments of revelatory clarity, the spiritual reality of our human existence.

To simplify for those who did not like this film, not perceiving its truth. Consider water, we are able to see it in all its physical manifestations, and are unable to see its molecular structure without the aid of a NRI, Nuclear Resonance Imaging, apparatus. Kabbalah is like the NRI, it enables the seeker student to perceive above our instinct for survival dimension of soul, to transcend our feelings and thoughts, opening the portal to our spirit's intuition, and experiencing the ONEness with our CREATOR, and each other. In the CREATOR'S four letter name, encoded in the gematria, each letter has a numerical value, of the letters, is "Love is ONEness." One of the most beautifully sublime statements of the unity of all human souls is this: "All of our souls were bound together in the Collective Soul of Adam and Havah, the first human beings. That is, each of the six billion souls of the world's present population is rooted in the first, Divinely-created man and woman. Therefore, in the depths of our psyche, we share a common unity. However, we have fallen asleep, become unconscious of this primal reality." - Rabbi Chaim Vital

I withheld the 10/10, as the film neglected to mention the foundation of the four dimensional truth inspiring the ToRaH. PaRDeS - literal objective, ReMeZ - allegorical poetical, DeRaSH - ethical homiletic, and SoD - mystical spiritual. The Zohar is an exemplary illustration in perceiving this wisdom and understanding the four dimensions of each letter, word, and verse.Without ToRaH, there is no kabbalah, no Zohar, etymology "light". It is, however, a good introduction to the concept of humanity's spiritual reality.

Remember that film is art

[florinel1964 · 9/10 · 25 July 2019]

This film has all ingredients of the 7th art: theatre, poetry, music, images, drama, action...If a film doesn't touch my mind and my soul, it is not a film, it is other movie. But this one touch me like a real movie. It reminde you what humanity means.

Thoughtful movie, not everyday entertainment

[vineetbijnori · 10/10 · 27 February 2018]

I guess I can also give this movie 10 points. Not because it was so entertaining, but it was enlightening. I know of a book which contains knowledge like Zohar Secret. I applied some in my life and it brought lot of pain and suffering, mostly because true bliss lies in true ignorance OR one has to die for true bliss.

Either way, I can objectively comment of various aspects story line/plot, acting, direction, special effects and this movie does not disappoint on any of these aspects. However, I would agree that this is not everyday romantic comedy, kids movie or other stuff i watch to kill time.

Best demonstration of Soul Source Truth for truly awake seekers of truth

[arielm222 · 10/10 · 17 April 2018]

If you can think to ask yourself if you are a Source player within this Game of life (i.e.within this simulated matrix reality), then this movie is especially for you! even if you are not ready for it). If you are still eating meat, your frequency is too low for you to get it. You won't know how important and valuable this information is (yet). because eating meat (death) means existing at the lowest (red zone) frequency; where all things are totally distorted and matrix truth is hidden from you. You simply cannot perceive this in this condition. You won't have your inner guidance (as this man has of himself in this movie) until you raise your frequency.(it takes 30 days of not eating animals). Even then, there is so much to realize at higher frequencies and many levels of testing as you rise; with trickery everywhere. The higher frequency journey is both amazing and frustrating because it means relearning so many things.For this reason, this movie is an excellent watch; showing OUR existence from the perspective of an outside watcher; giving a more clear picture beyond what can see. In this, it shows how we as Source players should ALWAYS follow our inner self and the cost when we fail to listen (live die repeat- all levels or times). Many sources suggest this may be our last time through; good reason to get very serious to succeed at getting to the highest levels. . .

Just what I needed

[phillipmarc · 10/10 · 12 March 2018]

Very well done.. an inspiring and entertaining reminder of everything you already knew to be true.