CommentsXp
Best movie ever!
CrawlerChunky
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Derrick Gibbons
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
logatherum
Life turns violent when Said and Khaled, who are best friends, get recruited by a terrorist group to bomb Israel because of past conflict. However, their mission is almost spoiled after one of the men gets separated from the other, but after complications they reunite, only to find that Khaled has had a change of heart. He tries to get his friend to come back home with him and to not kill, but Said has his mind made up, and goes for it. Overall, I thought that the storyline to this movie was clever and interesting. However, I didn't really like it because it was super confusing and (in my opinion) unclear at times. I found myself really lost as to who was who, and what was going on. Part of this may be because Khaled and Said switched opinions so fast and spontaneously. For example, Khaled was very on board to carry out the terrorist attack on Tel Aviv, when Said was not. Then suddenly, Khaled had a change of heart and decided to not go through with it, and Said became so caught up and focused on it, he did end up going through with it even though he had to do it alone! I wish that this film was a little different in the sense that it was more lucid. I found that I also had to focus a lot on the dialogue, because this was one of those films that if you miss something, you miss a lot and will end up confused. My favorite character was Suha because she seemed to be the most level- headed out of all the characters. After all, she was the one who ended up convincing Khaled not to attack, and her points that she made about being "equal" were so so true and valid even in real life when it comes to terrorism and bad things people do. Towards the end, I liked Said less and less as I started to like Khaled more and more, because (I think) Said ended up attacking Tel Aviv, and Khaled did the right thing to just go home.
olrovin
I absolutely loved this movie. It was so interesting to see it from the Palestinian point of view. I feel like most of the news that comes out of that area is from the Israeli perspective so it was refreshing to have a change. I thought this film was pretty intense, and it had me on the edge of my seat more than a few times. The part that really blew my mind was the fact that the two main characters, Khaled and Saïd, were just normal young men trying to live their lives and provide for their families who were turned into suicide bombers. They both seemed very normal and worked together as auto shop repairmen. Suddenly they got called into action for what I assume had already been discussed with them previously. Initially Khaled is the one who seems all in while Saïd appears very hesitant. When the mission gets interrupted and the two young men have to return to the West Bank, things begin to change. It surprised me the deep passion rooted in both these men to do something to help their people. Before viewing this film, I had never had the ability to even try and comprehend why people would sacrifice themselves to kill others by being a suicide bomber but this film made me understand a bit. Both men seemed to believe that this was their only way to fight back against the Israeli occupation. While I don't necessarily agree with their thought process, I can understand why they would feel this way. I love that this film helped open my mind to see a completely different perspective that I would not have had a way of understanding otherwise. Overall I give it 4.5/5 stars.
Roel Bogers
In Paradise Now we follow two friends who prepare for their mission as suicide bombers in Tel Aviv. The movie doesn't wait around as it takes place in a 48 hour period.During this time we focus on the two young men and their slightly differing views and moral struggles with the mission, instead of witnessing the regular tense firefights, explosions, and the ensuing carnage. In fact, there is hardly any violence in this film. Without having to resort to violence, I would have liked the general tone of the film to be a bit darker. It seems a tad bit to polished at times, clouding the desperation of the situation and the suspense of the 48 hour window. It might be to appeal to Western audiences, as is the inclusion of a negligible love-interest.The true strength of this movie is its clever script. Both friends have very nicely written character arcs that intertwine at certain points. This provides some twists and turns I did not see coming and makes the storytelling altogether more interesting. The story told in Paradise Now has sadly become more and more relevant since the movie has been released, making it perhaps an even more powerful film today.
Robyn Nesbitt (nesfilmreviews)
Incredibly powerful and intricately detailed, highly acclaimed and widely controversial. "Paradise Now," is a compelling, tightly made thriller set in Nablus, on the West Bank, and lays bare the humanity and the horror for all to see. The film provides a gripping and terrifying insight into the mindset of martyrs by turning the camera on two Palestinian suicide bombers during what they assume to be their final 48 hours. The story places two close friends, Said (Kais Nashif) and Khaled (Kais Nashif), recruits by an extremist group to perpetrate a terrorist attack, a suicide mission, in Tel-Aviv. Both men are bathed, shaved, and made to look like Israeli settlers; then they are then strapped with explosives, dressed in dark suits, and are off to carry out their orders. However, things go wrong and both friends must separate at the Palestine border. One of two will maintain in his purpose of carrying out the attack to the very end, and the other will begin to have his doubts. Despite condoning their actions and motives, you can't but help to watch the film with a fearsome fascination. The film sustains a mood of breathless suspense. "Paradise Now" is a thriller whose shrewdly inserted plot twists and emotional wrinkles are calculated to put your heart in your throat and keep it there. The movie humanizes the anonymous faces we often see in the news. The director and co-writer, Hany Abu- Assad, undercut any heroism of these young martyrs by presenting their everyday actions with moments of dark humor. During one taping of a farewell message, the video camera malfunctions half way through, and he must start over from the beginning. During another taping, one of the bombers interrupts his political sermon with a personal shopping reminder for his mother. The ending is gut-wrenching as it yanks the carpet from under your feet. A purposeful statement that strips away any glamour of terrorism, whatever the cause, reason, or rationale they use to justify it. Their inhuman mission aside, "Paradise Now" does compel an appreciation for these unfortunate young men blindly accepting their fate with empty promises. This is the first Palestinian film to be nominated for an Academy Award.
