Rent Theeb (2014)
3.7 of 5 from 174 ratings
1h 40min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
In the Ottoman province of Hijaz during World War I, a young Bedouin boy, Theeb (Jacir Eid), embarks, uninvited but eager for adventure, on a perilous desert journey with his elder brother Hussein to guide a British officer Edward (Jack Fox) and his guide Marji to their secret destination. Immersed in a way of life that has endured for centuries, the brothers are unaware of the tremendous upheavals taking place at the fringes of their world: the First World War is raging, the Ottoman Empire is coming undone, the Great Arab Revolt is brewing, and the British officer T.E. Lawrence is plotting with Prince Faisal to establish an Arab kingdom. The ensuing journey, filled with danger and hardship, will result in Theeb's rapid growing-up. Shot entirely on location against the ravishing landscape of Wadi Rum in Jordan, (where David Lean shot Lawrence of Arabia) and cast with non-professionals from one of the last of Jordan's nomadic Bedouin tribes, 'Theeb' is a remarkable accomplishment, a genre-crossing blend of a coming-of-age drama and a western. - Actors:
- Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat, Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen, Hassan Mutlag Al-Maraiyeh, Jack Fox
- Directors:
- Naji Abu Nowar
- Producers:
- Bassel Ghandour, Rupert Lloyd
- Writers:
- Naji Abu Nowar, Bassel Ghandour
- Studio:
- New Wave Films
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama
- Awards:
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Reviews (2) of Theeb
One star for the music. Another for the scenery. - Theeb review by none
One star for the music, another for the scenery. There's absolutely nothing more to it. This film left us both confused, disappointed, and wishing we'd spent our evening more productively. The connection with the wider historical context re. T E Lawrence doesn't really come across in a meaningful way. Considering the intended weight of the (WW1) subject matter, it's actually rather shallow. Would not recommend.
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
A Beat Behind - Theeb review by griggs
Theeb worked on me slowly, then all at once. The desert here isn't wallpaper — it's basically doing the storytelling, and every shot feels like it's there for a reason, not just because it looks nice on camera.
Jacir Eid, playing Theeb, is the reason it lands. He's just a kid working things out in real time, and you believe he doesn't fully grasp what's happening to him. That's the bit that gets under your skin: he's always a beat behind us.
The plot is simple, a journey through hostile country, but Naji Abu Nowar doesn't let it feel thin. There's a quiet sense of an old way of life coming apart as the modern world rolls in, and the film never spells it out. It just sits there in the background of every frame.
Middle stretch sags a touch, all landscape and not quite enough momentum, and I did feel the runtime there.
Doesn't matter much in the end. The ending is quiet, and it stuck with me. It's a slow burn, and it gets you.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.