Verdict:
Firstly, please note this is mostly a review for the English version of the film, because, ladies and gentleman, the maker of this movie shot it twice, once with Arabic actors and once with English speaking actors. That is the kind of dedication that was put into this project. From the start of the film, there is a note that Al-Azhar University approves the historical value of the movie. People took this job seriously and it shows in the final product.
The film is meant to show the most important events surrounding the birth of Islam from prophet Mohammad’s first-person perspective, and only from first-person perspective, as the depiction of Mohammed is a point of contention in the Muslim faith. This choice gives the movie a unique angle but also a unique awkwardness. The first time the presence of Mohammed was acknowledged was confusing. You stare at your screen and wonder what is going on until you realize that, oh right, these people were just reacting to his presence.
People speaking to Mohammed are often speaking to the cameraman, and thus to the viewer. Mohammed does not speak, even though people speak to him. So, it feels like you are the silent protagonist in an adventure game, playing Mohammad. You have to agree, it is a bold choice to have a main character that does not appear in his own movie even once. I mean it is pretty cool that these guys think that I am Mohammed, but I would prefer not to get dragged into the birth of Islam if you do not mind.
Not knowing much going into this film, I expected the film to be in Arabic with English subtitles and was disappointed to see a large amount of exceedingly white “Arabs” in the main role. But that did not detract from the quality of the film or its message. The English-speaking actors are not well known in the West, but all give good performances, having come from all over the world for this epic project.
There is a certain Greek actress, Irene Papas, who plays the wife of one of the tribe leaders and she is something fierce. She has a beautiful wrathful gaze. With those acting skills and that face, her name should really be bigger in the West.
I eventually briefly viewed the Arabic version of the film and it looks of equal quality. The acting is different, more suited for the Arabic audiences, but still good.
This film cannot avoid being a religion pusher, just like any Jesus film would be, but of course any viewer already knows this going in, and if you can make peace with that idea, what awaits you is a pretty epic movie, with clashes of character, faith and sword. The Message is, in any case, a significant work in the realm of religious cinema, offering a palatable and insightful portrayal of Islam’s early history. It is a very coherent, well shot movie, rival to the best of Christian epics.