The Mauritanian (2021)
A gripping real-life tale of endurance and justice; perfect for fans of legal dramas and human resilience stories.
Genres: Drama, Thriller
Cast
- Cast member 1
- Cast member 2
- Cast member 3
- Cast member 4
- Cast member 5
- Cast member 6
- Cast member 7
- Cast member 8
- Cast member 9
- Cast member 10
Your Status
The Mauritanian(2021)
Overview
The true story of the Mauritanian Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was held at the U.S military's Guantanamo Bay detention center without charges for over a decade and sought help from a defense attorney for his release.
My Friends' Ratings
None of your friends have rated this yet.
Cast
Full Cast & Crew
Tahar Rahim
Mohamedou Ould Slahi
Jodie Foster
Nancy Hollander
Benedict Cumberbatch
Lt. Stuart Couch
Shailene Woodley
Teri Duncan
Zachary Levi
Neil Buckland
Langley Kirkwood
Sergeant Sands
Saamer Usmani
Arjun
Corey Johnson
Bill Seidel
Matthew Marsh
General Miller
David Fynn
Kent
André Jacobs
Judge Robertson
Meena Rayann
Wafa
Arthur Falko
Guard
Stevel Marc
Poulson
Robert Hobbs
Captain Collins
Nezar Alderazi
Ramzi
Denis Ménochet
Emmanuel
Alaa Safi
Moroccan Translator / Marseille
Featured Comments/Tips
Maybe the experience is different if you'#39;re American and/or you have no prior knowledge of what was going on in Gitmo (we been knew), but this movie -- while not too bad -- was not as good as it could have been. The script takes middle-of-the-road approach and never really goes for the jugular. Sure, we can call the onscreen depictions of torture '#34;brave'#34; but it'#39;s not like it is the first movie to do so. The tone was confusing, there was a lot of jokes for a story that'#39;s about inhumane torture. I don'#39;t know what function the dream scenes were supposed to perform in the movie, some of them were disorienting, which I suppose is intentional to demonstrate Mo'#39;s mental state, but I wonder if they were necessary at all. The acting was great though, I have no misgivings about the acting. I'#39;ve always liked Tahar Rahim, but the poor guy is really typecast in America, in Europe they trust him with roles that have nothing to do with his background, because he'#39;s just that good.
A good but not great film. It'#39;s well made and the acting is good but it is a little sloppy in places. Still, the subject matter gives it power, as once again we are reminded of the terrible injustices that happen at Guantanamo Bay. The injustices of American politics are also brought to light, although America isn'#39;t the only country guilty of scapegoating innocents, of course. Thank goodness then for those that fight on the side of all that is right, honourable and just.
This story is impressive, real, harsh and revolting, an incredible movie, with great performances and a reflection to make you think for days.
Fantastic movie that demonstrates just how cruel and awful Gitmo is. It is a damn embarrassment that Bush, Obama, and Trump have used that facility to torture people in horrific and inhumane ways, with none of them going to shut it down. I sincerely hope Biden will do the right thing, but I won'#39;t hold my breath. The end credits roll detailing the aftermath of Mohamedou'#39;s struggle was just heartbreaking. This was great acting all around, and I would'#39;ve never recognized Doctor Strange.
_The Mauritanian_ is a film with a good story whose release timing was a bit unfortunate. Many of the most powerful moments of the film don'#39;t carry the weight that they ought to simply because most people now accept that Americans committed crimes against humanity during and after '#34;The War on Terror.'#34; That being said, the performance of Rahim is excellent, while both Foster and Cumberbatch put in good performances as well. In addition, I appreciate the focus on Ould Slahi'#39;s perspective in the story, though I think they could have gone even deeper into his story. As an alternative, I preferred _The Report_ (2019) which delved more deeply into the American psyche and the efforts to uncover American use of torture during the '#34;War on Terror.'#34;
There is a feeling in this film that the superficial eats up the important. The message is placed above the story itself, and the dialogues become pamphlets. Cumberbatch'#39;s and Foster'#39;s characters receives more attention than the protagonist (brilliant Tahar Rahim). It'#39;s not understood that a movie based on a book told in the first person devotes so much time to other characters. The curse of propagandist cinema.
Jodie Foster enthralling throughout, in fact all the acting performances were top notch.
Wow, what a heavy true story. Very emotional film, so hard to watch. I'#39;m angry and sad. I just couldn'#39;t finish watching it. As John Le Carre said about the book: _**‘A vision of hell, beyond Orwell, beyond Kafka’.**_ _The Mauritanian_ just shows you how the US is the greatest offender of human dignity. Americans are just as evil as they come. This movie is a great reminder of America'#39;s real image and how fucked up, how deeply depraved they are. Mohamedou Ould Salahi was held for fourteen years without being charged for a crime. 14 years without charges!! Unacceptable! And Salahi could have seen his mother if only Obama, (Americans liberals favorite '#39;hero'#39;) had not opposed his release. Obama extended the man’s sentence for 7 years after he won his freedom because why not? Yanks can do it. _The Mauritanian_, critical of American atrocities, totally shut out of the Oscars. What a big, huge surprise. :rolling_eyes:
Really enjoyed. Powerful and satisfying movie. I didn'#39;t think I would like all the guantanamo bay stuff because it'#39;s not the sort of thing I was really in the mood for when I started watching it. But I stand corrected. Family members had told me they had enjoyed this so I gave it a whirl. Definitely worth checking out. If you find yourself hooked on this then I promise you the end is worth the wait. So many movies fall flat or are just mediocre... I don'#39;t class this as one of them. Well above average.
Like good gum, _The Mauritanian_ is tasty and gives you something to chew on, though it loses some of its flavor the longer you spend with it. I loved the legal drama aspect of this film which is ratcheted up by the extreme facts that surround it. While some of the dialog veers into melodrama, the cast is strong (Jodie Foster is a God, Benedict Cumberbatch is credible as an American, and Tahar Rahim carries the film in the titular role), the story is provocative and the emotional pay off is worth the investment, though maybe a little delayed. I think they could'#39;ve cut this closer to an even 2 hours without losing any of the gravitas...
It'#39;s a hard watch at times. But it'#39;s worth it.
Great acting in general but that'#39;s it.
This is an important movie.
Not Sure if I'#39;d say this is a good movie, probably is, but definitely not for me. I have no idea about the topic and I found myself very lost while watching it. My laptop started to run slow after 70 minutes and I decided I wasn'#39;t going to finish it.
The story is powerful and would have deserved a more skillful director. Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch are acting their a$$ off. Shailene Woodley is holding her own. All in all this is a good movie with a shocking story. But the structure is a mess. Jumping back and forth is an attempt to add intrigue by telling the story as a puzzle which slowly comes together one piece at a time. It also adds confusion and prevents any kind of proper pacing. Nevertheless this movie will stay with you for a long time due to its stunning source material. I have Rahim pegged for an Academy Award nomination at the very least.
This is a difficult movie to watch or write a review on. At the core is outrage. Those who don’t want to believe that such outrageous things could be done by their beloved country and those entrusted with its values and justice will deny its assertions to protect the vision they hold as sacred. Others will raise their fist and proclaim they fight for the right of those abused and violated. Both sides will claim they know the truth. I am not surprised by man’s inhumanity. Indeed, my faith calls it original sin. The difference being I believe we are all capable of it. By my faith also believes in deliverance and hope, responsibility and the power of redemption. This film does a remarkable job of representing this man’s story. The performances are flawless. The storytelling is compelling. The warning is important. For those reasons I give this film an 8 (well told) out of 10. [Drama] Because this film is garnering awards it will be readily available. I watched it on a Home Premiere through the Cineplex Store.
Featured User Reviews
Based on the New York Times best-selling memoir “Guantánamo Diary” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, “The Mauritanian” tells the true story of a man who spent 14 years of his life imprisoned without charges at the notorious United States military detention facility. The film is a standard legal drama that focuses more on the man and his case rather than the atrocities that were levied against him. It still reinforces what most of us already know: Gitmo was a terrible, terrible place. Detained on the suspicion that he was connected to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Slahi (Tahar Rahim) was held by the U.S. government for over a decade. Wanting a challenge, social justice attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) asked for the chance to serve as defense lawyers for the man. The two advocates were shocked to learn that the only “evidence” the United States could produce was as forced confession that was coerced after months of torture to the inmate. Even the military prosecutor Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch) resigned himself from the case. You could dismiss this as just another Gitmo movie, and you wouldn’t be wrong. It fades into the background of other similarly-themed big screen dramas, but the limited focus on one man works in the film’s favor. Foster and Rahim give effective performances, and the talent of the cast gives the film an edge. The majority of the story is about the legal team’s efforts to free Slahi from the prison, but watching characters sort through boxes of redacted material isn’t the most entertaining. Director Kevin Macdonald touches on the emotional toll that comes from representing an accused terrorist, and Cumberbatch has his stand-up-and-applaud moment when he resigns from the case because it’s the right thing to do. But much of this content is overshadowed by the re-enactments of abuse Slahi faced, including beatings, gang rape, isolation, sleep deprivation, water boarding, and spending many nights shackled naked to the floor. This film will make you angry and sad, especially when you consider that Slahi was one of the few individuals held in Guantanamo whom U.S. officials actually acknowledge had been tortured. “The Mauritanian” probably won’t stand the test of time as a historical document, but it is a film that will intrigue those interested in Gitmo and our government’s policies after 9/11.
Tahar Rahim and Kevin MacDonald have come some way since their first collaboration on "the Eagle" (2011). This one sees the former - Mohammed Ould Slahi - incarcerated, without charge, by the American authorities in Guantánamo Bay. His case comes to the attention of attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and together with her colleague Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) they fight tooth and nail to secure his release. Benedict Cumberbatch is their opponent, the formidable and honourable Col. Crouch, and as the story unfolds both parties begin to appreciate the extent of the atrocities being carried out. Rahim is super. His portrayal demonstrating startlingly well the extremes of human endurance - of body and spirit - as Hollander works tirelessly to secure his release. There have been a spate, of late, of these style of films that point the finger squarely as successive US administrations who use the rule of law as/when and if it suited them - regardless of their red or blue politics - and this poignantly delivered documentary-style film uses dialogue potently (and sparingly) as well as flashback and actuality-effect photography to gradually (OK, maybe a bit too gradually) depict the backstory of this young man - whom, so far as we know is guilty of nothing at all - really sensitively and powerfully. This is not a film that sees much actually happen in any traditional sense, and if you have read any of his best selling "Guantánamo Diaries" then you will know just how this legally protracted story concludes, but as an assessment of a state's attempts to systematically dehumanise a man; and of the blind obedience of some of it's servants in-so-doing, it is a compelling film to watch that cannot fail to leave a nasty taste in your mouth.
If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog @ https://www.msbreviews.com As I wrote in countless other reviews of the same genre, I mostly enjoy movies "based on a true story" since these almost always accomplish my main expectations: to be enlightened on an event or subject matter I didn't know (much) about. The real-life story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi was obviously unknown to me at the time of this viewing, but The Mauritanian does a great job in telling his shocking, insane, unbelievable life at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. The existence of this outside-the-law prison still baffles me to this day. Two decades into the XXI century and humanity still finds a way of immorally and illegally destroying the most basic of human rights. Kevin Macdonald, a director who's probably more recognized for his documentaries than his feature films, offers a straightforward adaptation of the protagonist's memoir, focusing on the main narrative without letting too much of the typical Hollywood melodrama get its generic, diminishing share. It follows the usual formula when it comes to this type of movie, and its technical attributes aren't distractingly flashy or overwhelming, which might be the best compliment I have to give The Mauritanian. Its story alone is interesting enough, so I deeply appreciate that Macdonald used his doc-experience to produce this film since it could have easily been a regular documentary - and in some ways, it's very similar to one. The screenplay written by M.B. Traven, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani is quite captivating throughout most of the runtime, but it does lose a bit of steam due to some unnecessary, unimpactful sequences. During many moments, the writers and Macdonald make their point come across efficiently, but these scenes keep going for a few extra minutes that don't really add anything new to the story, the characters, or the atmosphere. Despite the main narrative being about Slahi, these subplots involving secondary characters are far from being remotely interesting. If not for an always captivating Benedict Cumberbatch and a charming Shailene Woodley, some of these storylines could have hurt the movie a lot more. One of the most important moments of the film occurs at the beginning of the third act. While it's vital for the audience to experience the same horrors that Slahi did, this overlong sequence goes from purely shocking to genuinely uncomfortable to the point of some viewers actually skipping the whole thing. It falls into the issue above of not knowing when to end a scene, extending it too much, consequently increasing the already substantial runtime. Nevertheless, I remained wholly concentrated on the central story, which is partially due to the outstanding performances from Jodie Foster and especially Tahar Rahim. The former delivers a truly remarkable display by interpreting Nancy Hollander, a lawyer who raises the most common moral dilemma in the respective area of profession. Does everyone - literally everyone - deserve the same human rights? Or are there exceptions, such as terrorists or rapists? Foster beautifully incorporates that challenging task of defending someone who 99.9% of the world would refuse to even talk to, let alone risk their life and reputation to defend him. However, in the end, it's Rahim's award-worthy, emotionally powerful physical performance that steals the spotlight. From his look of desperation to his never-ending hope that justice would be made, it's impossible not to feel for Slahi and root for his freedom. The Mauritanian is one of those "based on true events" movies that will remain in my memory for quite some time. The must-watch, shocking, real-life story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who received unbelievably unfair, immoral, and illegal treatment by the U.S. government, is told through a formulaic yet efficient screenplay, placing the spotlight on Tahar Rahim's exceptional, award-worthy performance. Kevin Macdonald employs non-distracting storytelling and filmmaking methods, allowing the main focus to be on Slahi himself instead of flashy visuals or weird camera work. Despite being mostly successful in this attempt, it still loses some of its energy and overall interest by overextending irrelevant scenes featuring secondary characters. Jodie Foster also delivers an incredibly captivating interpretation of a lawyer who never gives up on her own principles and morals. It might follow the generic structure of other films in the genre, but it accomplishes its mission of bringing this story into the world without any restraints. I recommend it but beware of a violent and long torture sequence that could bother some of the more sensitive viewers. Rating: B-
You might also like...
Bad Times at the El Royale
2018
Disconnect
2013
How I Live Now
2013
Shot Caller
2017
Snowden
2016
Castle Rock
2018
Chance
2016
Mayans M.C.
2018
Messiah
2020
Ratched
2020
StartUp
2016
Tyrant
2014
The Continental
2023
Truth Be Told
2019
Tell Me Your Secrets
2021
True Story
2021
Presumed Innocent
2024
Lioness
2023
The Crowded Room
2023
Dark Matter
2024
The Recruit
2022
Hijack
2023
Black Earth Rising
2018
Fearless
2017
Eric
2024
