Like father, like son?
Khaled and Saied, The Mortal and The Happy, that were their names, however, that's what they weren't.
Khaled and Saied lived, worked, and have been chosen to fulfill the same purpose, to become martyrs. They were chosen by their spiritual leader to execute a suicide mission in Tel Aviv, to avenge the assassination of a Palestinian Leader.
Khaled, played by the Palestinian director, Ali Suliman, was very excited about the operation, while Saied seemed to be a bit hesitant, especially after meeting Suha, the daughter of a famous Martyr whom all youth have been raised on his patriotic stories.
The film sheds a light on how things are in a very critical area in the middle east. It gives an insight into the nature of the Palestine - Israel conflict and how the people their deal with the daily struggle as they pass the borders, suffer from electricity problems, and water contamination.
After getting prepared for the operation, things go wrong and they both get separated before they detonate themselves. Khaled heads back directly to his leader and the rest of his group while Saied gets back to Tel Aviv and avoids detonating himself as he sees children on the bus he was intending to get on to execute the suicide mission.
Confusion engulfs Saied's mind, he walks around his hometown with a belt around his chest, he finally thinks of detonating himself in the garage he used to work in.
Khaled and Saied start different journey throughout one hour of the length of the film, Khaled in the search for Saied, and Saied for the search of himself. Eventually, Khaled and Suha find Saied hiding by Saied's father' grave.
Saied and Khaled get back to their leaders, then, later they carry on their attempt to execute the operation. Once they go back to Tel Aviv, things go the other way around, Khaled tries to persuade Saied to rethink it and conceder fixing the case by using other methods than shedding blood, while Saied seems very determined. He conceives Khaled and sends him back, and carries on executing the mission.
Suha's character forms such an interesting and important element in the course of events. She manages to change Khaled's mind about being a martyr on their way to find Saied. In the car, as Khaled drives in high speed, he repeats on her what he has been taught and learned day after another about Palestine, Jihad, the uprising, and revolution. With few nervous lines from her, we end up with a different Khaled who uses the same words as an attempt to make Saied pull back from his pursue.
The course of the events changes as we hear from Saied speaks of his personal need to send a message to Israel. It turns from being a national case to a personal one. Saied reveals his need to clear his father's name, the father who worked with the wrong side, Israel, before they get rid of him eventually. Saied has been carrying the shame burden for years, looking for a chance to purify his name and to make something to compensate what his father did. It turns to be his admiration towards Suha was actually an admiration to what she represents, a daughter of a hero who died for Palestine, unlike his father of course.
The film bravely asks many questions in relation to the premise of the story, should the sons and daughters follow the steps of their fathers? Are they obliged to carry their legacy, Whither it was proud or shame? What is stronger, Love or avenge? The scene in which Saied was lying in his father's grave, ready to detonate himself to erase the memory of this shame was so powerful, while the conversation between Suha and Khaled in the car was too direct and the change that occurred to Khaled was far from being smooth and convincing.
Khaled and Saied, The Mortal and The Happy, that were their names, however, that's what they weren't.
Khaled and Saied lived, worked, and have been chosen to fulfill the same purpose, to become martyrs. They were chosen by their spiritual leader to execute a suicide mission in Tel Aviv, to avenge the assassination of a Palestinian Leader.
Khaled, played by the Palestinian director, Ali Suliman, was very excited about the operation, while Saied seemed to be a bit hesitant, especially after meeting Suha, the daughter of a famous Martyr whom all youth have been raised on his patriotic stories.
The film sheds a light on how things are in a very critical area in the middle east. It gives an insight into the nature of the Palestine - Israel conflict and how the people their deal with the daily struggle as they pass the borders, suffer from electricity problems, and water contamination.
After getting prepared for the operation, things go wrong and they both get separated before they detonate themselves. Khaled heads back directly to his leader and the rest of his group while Saied gets back to Tel Aviv and avoids detonating himself as he sees children on the bus he was intending to get on to execute the suicide mission.
Confusion engulfs Saied's mind, he walks around his hometown with a belt around his chest, he finally thinks of detonating himself in the garage he used to work in.
Khaled and Saied start different journey throughout one hour of the length of the film, Khaled in the search for Saied, and Saied for the search of himself. Eventually, Khaled and Suha find Saied hiding by Saied's father' grave.
Saied and Khaled get back to their leaders, then, later they carry on their attempt to execute the operation. Once they go back to Tel Aviv, things go the other way around, Khaled tries to persuade Saied to rethink it and conceder fixing the case by using other methods than shedding blood, while Saied seems very determined. He conceives Khaled and sends him back, and carries on executing the mission.
Suha's character forms such an interesting and important element in the course of events. She manages to change Khaled's mind about being a martyr on their way to find Saied. In the car, as Khaled drives in high speed, he repeats on her what he has been taught and learned day after another about Palestine, Jihad, the uprising, and revolution. With few nervous lines from her, we end up with a different Khaled who uses the same words as an attempt to make Saied pull back from his pursue.
The course of the events changes as we hear from Saied speaks of his personal need to send a message to Israel. It turns from being a national case to a personal one. Saied reveals his need to clear his father's name, the father who worked with the wrong side, Israel, before they get rid of him eventually. Saied has been carrying the shame burden for years, looking for a chance to purify his name and to make something to compensate what his father did. It turns to be his admiration towards Suha was actually an admiration to what she represents, a daughter of a hero who died for Palestine, unlike his father of course.
The film bravely asks many questions in relation to the premise of the story, should the sons and daughters follow the steps of their fathers? Are they obliged to carry their legacy, Whither it was proud or shame? What is stronger, Love or avenge? The scene in which Saied was lying in his father's grave, ready to detonate himself to erase the memory of this shame was so powerful, while the conversation between Suha and Khaled in the car was too direct and the change that occurred to Khaled was far from being smooth and convincing.