I hesitate to write about this movie so soon after I’ve watched it, mainly because I have the tendency to inflate the brilliance of a film due to the adrenaline and emotion I associate with the film’s subject matter. Knowing this, I have ultimately decided to pen my thoughts on Kevin Mcdonald’s ‘The Mauritanian’ sooner rather than later, as I am aware that many of the things I have to say about it are at most, tangentially related to the film’s content, and speak more about my appreciation of film in general. I also write this hastily to persuade the 5 people who read my blog to catch this movie while it is still in theatres. Even as I revile the self-entitled gate-keeping Film Connoisseur who believes in the undying champagne-tinted golden age of cinema, I sincerely believe that all audience members will benefit from watching this film in a theatre as soon as possible. I will go into the meaty details (spoiler warning!) soon, but save to say, some of the scenes in this film do not at all hit with the same impact when viewed outside a location like the cinema.

Okay, now on to the good stuff.

To contextualize, I caught this film on a whim, at Shaw Theatres Lido, no less. While the trailer did not do much to increase my interest in the film, what perked my interest was how Mcdonald was choosing to tell the story. Knowing that the horrific experiences Mohamedou Ould Slahi (played by the stellar Tahar Rahim) went through were, at a period of time, meant to be kept completely secret, was heartbreaking. Interestingly, upon some reflection, I quickly realized that the visceral depictions of state-sanctioned violence against Mohamedou were not the only factor that set this movie apart from others that sought to cover the same subject matter (a prime example being the 2014 ‘Camp X-ray’). While I am tempted to attribute much of the success of ‘The Mauritanian’ to its A-star Cast, and this is definitely true, with Jodie Foster delivering some of her best work and earning her well-deserved Golden Globe for best actress in a supporting role, alongside Tahar Rahim’s chilling, emotionally raw performance that garnered his best actor nomination, I observe that it was Mcdonald’s handling of Mohamedou’s story that set the film apart from its contemporaries.

I have always been one to say that, when a film deals with subject matter as sensitive and emotionally charged as the US and their mishandling of Guantanamo Bay (both for the Bush, Obama and Trump administration), alongside attempting to depict a wounded giant in a post-911 America, I tend to refrain from judging the film from a cinematic standpoint. Generally, this refers to the cinematography of said film, the way the editor chooses to cut the movie, the camera shots that capture the actor’s delivery of lines, and the audio and visual flair the director puts on the work. Maybe that’s what caught me off guard when I stepped into the cinema. While I had anticipated beautiful performances, Mcdonald’s portrayal of both Nancy Hollander’s uphill battle to defend the innocent Mohamedou and the rule of law enshrined in the American constitution, alongside Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Couch’s (played by the restrained Cumberbatch) struggle to protect his integrity as a Christian under US Military service seeking to prosecute and charge Mohamedou with the false allegation of planning the disastrous 9-11, Mcdonald wields his tight focus on the stories of these three individuals to bring out the underlying issues that permeate Guantanamo Bay (alongside, as Hollander mentions, the US’ butchering of the Vietnam War.) Above the spectacle and controversy that arises from the mistreatment and torture Mohamedou endures at the hands of a country that claims to be the world’s law enforcers, Mcdonald spotlights the layers of bureaucracy that prevent both Hollander and her seeming adversary (later turned friend) Lieutenant Stuart from accessing much needed information to handle Mohamedou’s case. In fact, it is precisely when said details are brought into light, that Lieutenant Stuart comes to know of the moral degradation that arises when higher-ups demand results that are rooted in bigoted assumptions and fueled by hatred, alongside a need to appease the public with a figure to root against, ultimately resulting in his resignation.

Really, it appears that the main antagonist of the story is neither Lieutenant Stuart, nor the guards, nor even the head of Guantanamo Bay who ordered the secret project that involved the ravid torturing and dehumanization of detainees who had been held for up to 8 years with no evidence or justification provided. Rather, Mcdonald suggests, (as I concur), that it is precisely the entire US government (the institution itself, rather than a specific person), who is guilty for Mohamedou’s mistreatment and suffering. Throughout ‘The Mauritanian’, Mcdonald humanizes every individual Mohamedou comes into contact with, be it the guard of his prison cell, the government interrogators, hell- even the military interrogators cum torturers who brutalise Mohamedou. In one of the more poignant parts of the film, the interrogator who was the face of the violence for Guantanamo Bay’s special project whips off her mask, to reveal a battle-hardened woman brought to the brink of tears at the repeated physical and psychological torture she has had to subject Mohamedou to at the behest of the US government. Surely, even she acknowledges his innocence. Yet, she is compelled to force a confession out of him. In essence, Mcdonald posits the greatest evil arises from the subconscious bigotry that the post-911 frenzy has driven the US government to, as all those that represent the face of said institution demand Mohamedou be made an example of, to appease and provide catharsis a vengeful America demands.

Even so, I find that Mcdonald’s brilliance is seen most clearly in that despite his discussion of said big ideas of the institution of government laden with bureaucratic sinecures and plagued by endemic self-profiteering individuals, Mcdonald, in equal measure, makes ‘The Mauritanian’ an incredibly personal story, telling of the loneliness and isolation that overwhelm Mohamedou’s senses, reflecting Mohamedou’s justified bitterness and anger at the US, whilst painting the beautiful portrait of Mohamedou’s forgiveness of the criminal actions he was subjected to. Again, much credit must be yielded to Tahar Rahim’s stunning performance. Through it, audiences are treated to the emotional journey of a man, as he struggles and ultimately grows stronger in his faith, whilst retaining his love for the aggressors who strip him of his freedom and violate his rights.

Maybe that’s the best thing about ‘The Mauritanian’. Not only that it’s based on a true story. Not only that the acting immediately outclasses most of the movies I have watched in the past few years (aside from Bong’s parasite and Minari of course). Not only that Mcdonald handles the subject matter with a tenderness that reserves his respect for Mohamedou’s harrowing experiences in the hellhole that is Guantanamo Bay, whilst depicting the sensory deprivation and overload that Mohamedou was put through as part of his torture by overstimulating the senses of the audience visually and auditorily. Nor is it Mcdonald’s lovely interweaving of cell shaded vignettes of Mohamedou’s childhood, or the surreal sequence that captured the confabulation of Mohamedou’s memories as his past, present and forced confession melded together in magic realism. Above all these things, Mcdonald chooses to tell a violently personal tale of one man’s suffering, which above all, is firmly grounded in reality.

So I implore you, grab this opportunity with both hands while it is still being presented to you. Go catch this film in a cinema near you ASAP! It has to be experienced in such a setting to deliver the full emotional weight of Mohamedou’s story.

(P.S. Do pay Shaw Theatres Lido a visit. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and open foyer. Really, everything about the theatre from the moment I bought a ticket to the instant I entered the Cinema wowed me. Highly recommended!)

Also, fear not. This blog hasn’t just morphed into a full-on review site for films. While I will keep posting my thoughts on various media I consume, I will likewise continue posting reflections on NS life and other things! Alright thx bye 🙂