As being an Egyptian, I was curious to see this film, since it's very rare to see a foreign movie that depicts Middle East, without the usual stereotype of Arabs being terrorists or still riding camels!!! Sadly this film missed a great opportunity, to use the majestic and historical setting of Luxor to convey any meaningful story of any kind. I don't know what the filmmaker Zeina Durra had in mind when she wanted to make this film, but this is really very pointless and forgettable. Despite the beautiful scenery of Pharaonic monuments and the breathtaking nile view, there is no story. The lead actress Andrea Riseborough walks around in oversized cloth through Luxor and running into an old flame, and that's it. Also her recent films this year (The Grudge, Possessor) she's been doing the same vague and depressed person who feels lifeless and cold. Karim Saleh was okay, but since there is no story and meaningful script, his character doesn't have much to go with. All the situations taking place don't serve any purpose, and are unrelated to anything else. But I do have to say, that the director conveyed a true picture of Luxor, without any exaggeration or fake elements, except for some notes, like when the two lead characters sometimes walk into a temple, and it's like they're completely alone, usually there have to be other tourists walking around. Also when Sultan's character was talking to his Egyptian coworker, why does she speak to him in English!!! I wish this film was worthy of the place it was shot in, but sadly it failed in achieving any meaningful thing, except showing the beauty of Luxor to those who aren't familiar with it.
26 Reviews
Beautiful archeological displays. Plodding plot.
joker-411 December 2020
Set in the ancient Egyptian city, Luxor is almost portrayed as a silent documentary. Director Zeina Durra constantly has the camera leading or following. Down tight Egyptian streets. Through majestic ruins. Ahead of Hana, who is endlessly wandering; her thoughts leagues before her. Luxor is a contemplative movie, and Durra's slow pacing accentuates that study.
To the movie's benefit, Durra beautifully displays the archeological wonders of the city. From the Temples of Karnak and Luxor itself, to the Winter Palace hotel, Durra showcases a part of the world that thanks to COVID and the outgoing Presidency's relationship with Arab affairs, remains an unvisited destination to many Americans. However, even Rick Steve's tourism videos jump to a snappier beat.
Hana is a British aid worker returning to Luxor on holiday. Scarred from scenes of an unmentioned battlefront, Hana wanders the quiet city alone until she runs into Sultan, an archaeologist and former lover. Sultan is totally Indiana Jones looking to rekindle that affair with the feisty Marion. Hana would rather play the hard-to-get Willie and has no time for love, Dr. Jones. She is shellshock and is hoping the mystery of the ancient world resets her ability to again see hope.
Luxor is 90 minutes of Hana walking, wondering, wanting. Durra slowly provides details to Hana's life, but those little points become lost in the stagnant plot while the biggest mystery remains unanswered. If Hana so desperately wishes to move beyond her former life, why return to the city where she knows her former boyfriend works? Lots of wonderful ruins in Ireland that are aching to be visited.
Luxor is not meant to be a riotous rom com, but perhaps it should have been. The slow, piercing character study of a film is a worthy genre, yet Hana's story has no true resolution. Her solemn attitude is frustrating as she cannot decipher the beauty that is all around her. What could have been a majestic tragedy is instead as dry and dusty as a desert road.
To the movie's benefit, Durra beautifully displays the archeological wonders of the city. From the Temples of Karnak and Luxor itself, to the Winter Palace hotel, Durra showcases a part of the world that thanks to COVID and the outgoing Presidency's relationship with Arab affairs, remains an unvisited destination to many Americans. However, even Rick Steve's tourism videos jump to a snappier beat.
Hana is a British aid worker returning to Luxor on holiday. Scarred from scenes of an unmentioned battlefront, Hana wanders the quiet city alone until she runs into Sultan, an archaeologist and former lover. Sultan is totally Indiana Jones looking to rekindle that affair with the feisty Marion. Hana would rather play the hard-to-get Willie and has no time for love, Dr. Jones. She is shellshock and is hoping the mystery of the ancient world resets her ability to again see hope.
Luxor is 90 minutes of Hana walking, wondering, wanting. Durra slowly provides details to Hana's life, but those little points become lost in the stagnant plot while the biggest mystery remains unanswered. If Hana so desperately wishes to move beyond her former life, why return to the city where she knows her former boyfriend works? Lots of wonderful ruins in Ireland that are aching to be visited.
Luxor is not meant to be a riotous rom com, but perhaps it should have been. The slow, piercing character study of a film is a worthy genre, yet Hana's story has no true resolution. Her solemn attitude is frustrating as she cannot decipher the beauty that is all around her. What could have been a majestic tragedy is instead as dry and dusty as a desert road.
Hannah still living the past
medhatbesso16 February 2022
Nice cinematography, simple script and huge hidden feelings. Love The vintage of everything in Luxor . Like that chemistry between Hannah and Sultan and let's talk about dancing scene absolutely reversing how much this girl suffering and liked to be itself. Great film to be watched.
No chemistry
Gordon-116 April 2021
Watch it fast forward....
Veritas9925 December 2020
Meditative piece with panoramic views
vio_k7 November 2020
Hana is a doctor working in conflict zones. She comes to Luxor as a place that can restore and invigorate the soul. She's been there in her youth, and a chance meeting with her old flame makes her question her life choices and the possible future paths.
This film is like a slow contemplative walk among the Egyptian pyramids and ruins, with Hana as a silent guide. There aren't many surprises and there aren't any ready-made answers, but I enjoyed the gentle humour and the pastel tones of this very cinematic piece. I could relate to Hana's questioning her mid-life satisfaction and searching for a way out of a hectic pace of life.
Slow and a waste of time
qui_j30 April 2021
This film moves at the pace of molasses flowing uphill. The first 30 minutes goes nowhere. Film has minimal dialog and after a while the viewer gets tired of the zombie like performance of the lead actress. Total waste of time!
Too understated
info-0077220 February 2021
I am always excited to see a film set in Luxor, and there were some beautiful shots and nice moments. I have to say, I agree with most of the reviews on here. This is a film where nothing happens. I've been watching a lot of Egyptian cinema, and this film is very un-Egyptian in that there is no passion, no intensity, no chemistry, no sizzle. I know this is the way the director wanted it to be. But for me it was disappointing. To say it is understated is- an understatement. We want to know the story between the lovers, what happened - we are never told it. Did they just give up on their love? When they meet again, where is the passion? Where is the feeling? Andrea Riseborough is playing the role of someone badly traumatised, and she plays it well. But Karim Saleh just seems smooth and American, I don't see the Egyptian character in him at all... not my experience of Egypt.
A couple of things that really annoyed me: we are told, its pronounced Abide-os. NO! Its A-bid-os. How could they do that? And they neglect to mention its the place of Osiris. We don't hear the old lady's reading, which makes it seem as though traditional healers (of which there are many) are a waste of time. Not very respectful...
I love all things Egyptian, but this is not it. These people seem cold, aloof, English and restrained. I found it quite frustrating.
Pretentious, pompous and uncompelling
paulbrandall12 December 2020
The film tries desperately to be deeply meaningful but is embarrassing to watch.
The script is juvenile, untalented and cringe-making. The dialogue makes attempts at profound insights into human nature and the divine, in what are truly humiliating lines.
It doesn't celebrate Egypt. It's exploitative.
A veritable student film that reviewers and critics have bizarrely praised out of cowardice and pretending is something profound. Awful.
The script is juvenile, untalented and cringe-making. The dialogue makes attempts at profound insights into human nature and the divine, in what are truly humiliating lines.
It doesn't celebrate Egypt. It's exploitative.
A veritable student film that reviewers and critics have bizarrely praised out of cowardice and pretending is something profound. Awful.
So so
harleybabe200325 May 2021
Luxury in Luxor
sharonkathleenjohnson6 September 2021
I agree that this film is of a woman's sensibility, perhaps of lsis herself. The symbolism was obvious to me, the dream about the children, the angst of aging, the search for meaning. How familiar it all felt. The pat formula would have been for her to find meaning in romantic love but somehow you feel she won't. The ever-restless searching mind forbids it and ultimately refuses to swallow the sun. Her acting was so naturalistic, l came to know her on the cosmic plane. A solitary soul but aren't we all. I also feel the sacred sites weighing down on me with their thousands of years of worship. I now feel that l have been there and walked like an Egyptian. It wasn't exactly Death on the Nile but there's no dignity in middle-aged love. The sight of the stars makes us dream.
An Average Slow Film
alindsayal18 December 2021
So the second film of this years London Sundance Film Festival is Luxor and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a British Aid Worker return to Egypt where she spent plenty of time, she tries to get past her dark past by meeting an old lover.
Main Character Andrea Riseborough is a good actress and she plays the lead here and she does a good job. It is a pretty physical performance that she is a woman of few words and uses her body language to emote how she is feeling. Though there are a few great scenes where you see the emotion poor out of her and it really makes you care about her as a person.
Supporting Characters As I mentioned there is a love interest here and I didn't really care for him as a character, I just felt there wasn't much chemistry between him and Riseborough which did hurt their story arc, mainly because the film doesn't give you much reason to care about him. I mean there are a few other people in the film but they are given no time or depth to work with so really this is a one woman show.
Story The story is a slow burn, it does a good job of showing this woman in turmoil internally and seeing how she copes with the horror of the world is interesting and is risen up because of the quality of the lead performance. But I must be honest not a lot happens here, the film just doesn't really have much going on and it really can be quite tedious at times which hurts the overall story.
Script The script has some okay moments in it, there are some real dramatic scenes here that are elevated by Risebourough's great performance here. But this script doesn't do anything to really stand out, in fact there isn't actually that much dialogue at times which makes this film feel longer then it is.
Style The film looks very nice, it shows the scenery very well and the fact that the film takes place in Egypt gives this film a really nice background for the film. But this film is just incredibly slow and just a bit boring, it is less then 90 minutes but honestly feels at least 2 hours if not longer.
Overall Overall, I found this to be a very average film. I imagine if you dislike mainstream cinema and big action films then maybe you will like this but I would say it isn't worth the time.
Rating - 5/10.
Main Character Andrea Riseborough is a good actress and she plays the lead here and she does a good job. It is a pretty physical performance that she is a woman of few words and uses her body language to emote how she is feeling. Though there are a few great scenes where you see the emotion poor out of her and it really makes you care about her as a person.
Supporting Characters As I mentioned there is a love interest here and I didn't really care for him as a character, I just felt there wasn't much chemistry between him and Riseborough which did hurt their story arc, mainly because the film doesn't give you much reason to care about him. I mean there are a few other people in the film but they are given no time or depth to work with so really this is a one woman show.
Story The story is a slow burn, it does a good job of showing this woman in turmoil internally and seeing how she copes with the horror of the world is interesting and is risen up because of the quality of the lead performance. But I must be honest not a lot happens here, the film just doesn't really have much going on and it really can be quite tedious at times which hurts the overall story.
Script The script has some okay moments in it, there are some real dramatic scenes here that are elevated by Risebourough's great performance here. But this script doesn't do anything to really stand out, in fact there isn't actually that much dialogue at times which makes this film feel longer then it is.
Style The film looks very nice, it shows the scenery very well and the fact that the film takes place in Egypt gives this film a really nice background for the film. But this film is just incredibly slow and just a bit boring, it is less then 90 minutes but honestly feels at least 2 hours if not longer.
Overall Overall, I found this to be a very average film. I imagine if you dislike mainstream cinema and big action films then maybe you will like this but I would say it isn't worth the time.
Rating - 5/10.
Mind numbingly vague
paulatepc6616 July 2021
Some nice pictures taken around Luxor
mformoviesandmore6 December 2020
The only real thing in the movie is the 'natural' beauty of Luxor and the remains of the ancient Egyptian empires.
The woman who is the lead is a vacuous performers playing a vacuous character.
Worth fast forwarding through to see the locations.
The woman who is the lead is a vacuous performers playing a vacuous character.
Worth fast forwarding through to see the locations.
This is super boring with no plot. Even the city of Luxor can save this
luisc_alonso10 March 2021
It is just a girl going from one place to another, with no sense. No character development, empty dialogs, a lot of scenes with the only purpose to fill the long and boring 80 minutes of the film. Not even the beatiful city, monuments and places can save this.The only good thing are the archelogical sites and places of the egyptian civilization, one of the most beatiful in the history.
Far better film than most reviews indicate
gregmalone116 December 2020
Straight up, this film is one of the most beautifully shot and acted films you'll find. But it's not for those who have no tolerance for the "kind" of film it is. It's a stream of consciousness experience following Andrea Riseborough's character through a few days in Egypt visiting friends and working on some deep seated angst she's carrying about something in the past. It is not an adventure film or action film or even a romance film, quite frankly. The dialog is good, but sparse. As others have pointed out, Riseborough's face and body language do 90% of the acting -- and does it very well indeed. She is a remarkable actor.
My guess is that most of the negative reviews are from men, and specifically men under 50 yrs old. It's a film with a woman's sensibility imbuing it from start to finish.
I was constantly amazed and impressed with the "sense of place" the story creates from the beginning. Whether it's out on the streets or in the hotel, it feels so authentic and unhurried... like life should be.
A big thumbs up from me, though I recognize that many will (and do) find it less than satisfying due to other expectations from their entertainment.
My guess is that most of the negative reviews are from men, and specifically men under 50 yrs old. It's a film with a woman's sensibility imbuing it from start to finish.
I was constantly amazed and impressed with the "sense of place" the story creates from the beginning. Whether it's out on the streets or in the hotel, it feels so authentic and unhurried... like life should be.
A big thumbs up from me, though I recognize that many will (and do) find it less than satisfying due to other expectations from their entertainment.
But why
DroogEditor25 November 2020
Was in Luxor
bibikatusic27 March 2022
I was in Luxor like 15 years ago. It's was a beautiful city. I also stayed at the Winter Palace, a beautiful hotel. What I want to know is, how can a surgeon staying in an expensive hotel dress like a hippy and look like she is dying? The skinny woman looks emancipated, worn out and never smiles..she looks bored about everything..weird movie.
Seriously boring.
embrdrkbh15 October 2021
I watched Luxor because I'm a life long sgyptophile who has never been to Egypt. The scenery was pretty good and it's always nice to see Selima!! But the characters were bored and boring! If there was a plot I couldn't find it! There was nothing interesting in the characters themselves, or anything they did.
I watched it on Amazon Prime, fortunately, so I finally just fast forwarded to the sites I wanted to see.
I watched it on Amazon Prime, fortunately, so I finally just fast forwarded to the sites I wanted to see.
A seat of the pants stab at an art film
trey-yancy-572-7635477 October 2021
Americans can be annoying. Hey, look a real Egyptologist from TV. Here's some old stuff. I'll get drunk. A dream sequence would be cool. Hmm. What do we do next?
This is a figure it out as you go film. Not a proper script. Just stuff happening. The only two things that really drew my attention were the inclusion of Dr. Ikram and the idea that a character would be able to visit the tomb of Thutmosis III on her own and not in a throng of tourists.
This is a figure it out as you go film. Not a proper script. Just stuff happening. The only two things that really drew my attention were the inclusion of Dr. Ikram and the idea that a character would be able to visit the tomb of Thutmosis III on her own and not in a throng of tourists.
Lost in Luxor
carmo-53 March 2023
The film Luxor (2020), available on YouTube (with subtitles) is more a mixture of visits to Egyptian archaeological sites with reunions of the main character Hana (Andrea Riseborough) with some acquaintances, from previous visits she made to Egypt. The film begins with Hana arriving at a hotel in Luxor. From her behavior throughout the entire film, Hana appears to be completely alienated and immersed in some past that the film doesn't reveal much about. She finds an old boyfriend and the two apparently resume their old relationship. The film was worth only for the briefly visited archaeological sites. Hana gives the impression that she has no idea where to go and where to stay. She seems quite lost within herself. Perhaps the title of the film should be Lost instead of Luxor.
What a waste..
nur-barutcu28 August 2021
Stupor
ricky_dry_county27 April 2021
1) I get that Andrea Riseborough has turned half dead over the past couple of years and gained immense sadness in her eyes. Watch her in "Disconnect" from 2013/14 and then in her recent major roles in "Zerozerozero"/"Possessor" or this one. There is a strong effort to suppress her natural beauty, and it seems more like her own choice. Anyway, she's carrying that depressed torch with a unique lifeless energy.
2) I was compelled to watch this (IMDb 5.3) to see if it really was worthless. My verdict is that it's definitely not. Its not for everyone but shares nothing with a typical Hollywood film set in the Mediterranean. Some of us long for films that have scanty plot twists and since I find the actress worthy her salt and not unlikable (which can be a task these days).
3) This film albeit slowly prodding without any substantial revelation, doesn't attempt any preachy sermons or any life changing epiphanies. The film is flat, just like life may seem when you're in a rut (which our emaciated lead is in).
2) I was compelled to watch this (IMDb 5.3) to see if it really was worthless. My verdict is that it's definitely not. Its not for everyone but shares nothing with a typical Hollywood film set in the Mediterranean. Some of us long for films that have scanty plot twists and since I find the actress worthy her salt and not unlikable (which can be a task these days).
3) This film albeit slowly prodding without any substantial revelation, doesn't attempt any preachy sermons or any life changing epiphanies. The film is flat, just like life may seem when you're in a rut (which our emaciated lead is in).
Unsympathetic and Unaesthetic
snjreeves5 May 2022
We are supposed to imagine our way into the zombie-like state of the main woman character. Her trauma as a doctor in a war zone is left to us to imagine. The reason she walks around Luxor looking numb is left for us to imagine. Her past relationship with a former archeologist lover is mostly left for us to imagine. He at least, seems normally alive. Why has this woman seemingly given up on life? Most annoyingly and unaesthetically, she wears nothing but too large, colorless, mismatched baggy shirts and pants throughout the film and wears her gray-at-the-roots, whitish-on-top hair in a tightly pulled up knot on the top of her head, secured with bobby pins at the sides -- it's painfully unattractive and is worn that awful way throughout the film; the knot doesn't even come down in bed when she's finally relents and comes to life enough to have sex with her former lover. That she has undergone some sort of transformation being in Luxor amid its centuries-old history and having connected with a man she apparently once loved is shown only obscurely and mostly left for us to imagine. Could we have had a little help imagining that with perhaps her wearing an outfit with a little color that fit and her wearing her badly in need of a good stylist and colorist hair let down? Really, a most unsympathetic character and a slow slog.
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