Cert 15
95 mins
BBFC advice: Contains: strong violence, torture, strong language
Hot on the heels of Bethlehem comes this riveting thriller about love and betrayal on opposite sides of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.
Adam Bakri excels in the title role of Omar, a dissident who becomes victim of blackmail by the secret service.
Like Bethlehem, Hany Abu-Assad's film, delves deep into the moral dilemmas which face ordinary people in an extraordinary situation.
To some of those involved, the battle between the two sides would appear to be black and white.
However, there are also many shades of grey.
For example, would you collaborate with an enemy to prevent the lives of your nearest and dearest being at risk?
This is the conundrum facing Omar after he witnesses the murder of a soldier.
Of course, he does not want to turn informant but not only is his own freedom threatened but also that of those around him.
He is caught between a rock and a hard place, knowing that his family or friends would disown him if they even suspected that he were aiding the enemy.
Omar is part of a tight trio of lifelong friends (Bakri, Samer Bisherat, Iyad Hoorani) who are all part of the resistance.
Meanwhile, he is secretly in love with his best friend's sister (Leem Lubany) but this proves a weakness in the eyes of the Israelis.
But who can anyone really trust in this powderkeg environment where brutality and suspicion are a part of everyday life.
Abu-Assad's movie had me on edge throughout. Its cruelty is shocking and in a world where violence is commonplace, so is distrust and, strangely, naivety.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: yes
Overall rating: 9/10