This was the best movie of the decade! There isn't a doubt in my mind. Know why? It is the most interpretive, realistic, and beautiful movie I've seen in years. Some movies just have one of those qualities. This one is a masterpiece in all of them. "A Prophet" is truly a wonder of a film. It should (and does look this way) be a future classic. It's been compared to 'The Godfather" and is being called the best crime drama in years. Not just prison movie... but any form of crime movie. I believe every word of that because I was swept away watching this movie. I saw this movie I believe in January 2010, It changed the way I see movies.
Malik (Tahir Rahim in a masterpiece of a breakthrough performance) is entering maximum security prison under a six year sentence. He has no friends nor family and has spent his entire life in "the system". He is half french and half arabic making him a stranger to both worlds. The worlds are gangs that are the arabs and Corsicans, they run the prison. They get what they want and when they want, the guards give rules but have no way to enforce these people. They are demons among this world. Evil instincts and looking to achieve power any way possible. Malik has a hard time adapting. One day his life changes forever. Cesar ( A riveting and terrifying Niels Arestrup. He wasn't nominated for a Oscar but believe me when I say he was just as excellent as Christoph Waltz in "Inglorious Basterds) asks a favor or more of orders Malik to do something. Cesar wants Malik to kill his cell neighbor or be killed himself. Malik is taught by the gang to conceal a razor blade in his mouth to get at his neighbor Reyeb. Malik can't go to the guards or the warden, the gang controls all. All he can do his kill this man. Reyeb is a nice enough guy but in a brutal and gut retching scene Malik kills him. He shakes afterwards, but why? Is it because he is safe now or because he killed a man? We don't know and it's better that way. It allows the audience to build their own conclusions.
Malik spends the next few years in prison building his reputation and wisdom. He continues to work for the Corsicans working his way up the ranks. He befriends a arab named Ryad, his prison school teacher and the two become partners in crime. He works with a man named Jordi and gets deep into the drug trade. He makes connections in and out of prison that makes him a force to reckon with. All this while seeing visions of Reyab and having weird dreams. That's right... while this movie is gritty and unbelievably realistic, it has surreal scenes as well. It never seems far fetched and compliments the film in great ways. Malik will build his way to the top and become a kingpin of extreme power.
What is great about this film if not perfect, is that it allows interpretation. So you can come up with all the crazy and brilliant analogies you want. I sure have and because it's my own viewing, it works so well. The film encourages you to watch in a myriad of ways. Straight forward prison movie, political and religious examination, or in my way... what the title implies. This is that Malik is a prophet. He is a higher power sent to rule the prison and the gangs in and out of it. He comes from no family with no friends. Has spent his whole life in prison and has almost no education. Sounds like he had no life before this and it's his purpose. Malik has wild visions that help him secure his place at the top. He has a gun pointed at his head at one point during one of his leaves (In France you get leave days from prison... crazy, right?) He panics in the back of a car seat as a heavenly chant plays over the film. He looks up and his eyes look beyond this plane of existence. He sees a sign of a deer crossing up ahead and he warns everyone and indeed they hit a deer. He had a bizarre vision of sorts the night before of deer running in a road. It's a sign to keep him going so he can lead his people to a brighter future. There are so many references to his almost holy identity as a chosen vessel. Other things I saw was the idea of Frankenstein. Cesar is the mad scientist who creates a monster in his perfect image. This is Malik and like Frankenstein he will become out of control. There is the Oedipus complex here as well. Malick was born though the prison, it is his mother then. His father raised him and that is Cesar. So to go along with this complex, Malik wants to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Malik wants to become more powerful than Cesar and rule the prison. I think that makes sense.
"A Prophet" is a brilliant and perfect movie. It is my fourth favorite film of all time and I rank it as the best film of the last decade (2000's). It is a classic in every sense and will always have a place with me and in the film industry.
10/10
Recommendation: About two and half hours in french, but it's dark, violent, wonderful, gritty, trippy, fun, entertaining, though provoking, and a masterpiece. Take the time to not just watch it, but live it.
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