Destiny

I just love all his movies, including this one. One comment though, Laial Olowy has acted with a little bit too much exaggeration. Not that it changed my mind.

Oh I also want to add that I love the fact that it's in contemporary language, it makes it all the more interesting to watch. Who in the arab world really enjoys classical arabic?


could have been something   February 24, 2002
3 out of 15 found this review helpful

imagine the movie "the ten commandements" with a bronx or a brooklyn accent. thats what destiny feels like when you are an arabic speaker. the actors speak modern day egyptian accent which sounds completely silly to arabs considering that the setting of the movie is the 12th century spain. the idea could have been great if chahine would have stuck to historical accuracy. but i guess chahine dont care about his arab audience that much.


A tale of Enlightenment and Music   January 23, 2002
A. Idrissa
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

This is a moving and beautifully filmed tale of a war, the unending war between skeptical reason and religious fanaticism, with its dire political consequences. The setting is medieval Andalusia, but could also well be some contemporary Arab and Muslim country. One of Chahine's major aims is clearly to satirize the lust for power clothed in a religious robe that is a thorny issue in these quarters today. But the movie is chiefly about the relations between rational wisdom and a disquieting world, about music (some rousing numbers, and all the music is beautiful and shiny), about love. The movie should also appeal to a gay audience: Chahine is gay, as his brand of soft and "ladish" eroticism shows it very well. All in all, a highly "watchable", entertaining and thought-provoking piece of art that I cheerfully recommend.


Destiny an Oriental film in hommage to the Hollywood Golden   August 14, 2001
no (France)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful

The film by egyptian director Youssef Chahine "Destiny" , recalls the story of Averoes the writer and scientist and takes place partly in Andalusia. I recommend you to see this film on the Free minded writer in an age when Europe was living under religious inquisition, and Andalusia torn between political rivalry between religious and political intolerance.The film is a strong message against religious intolerance and Chahine is very courageous in his statements. The film was prized in Caan and did well at the box office. Sure it does have its shortcomings due to lack of financial help. The special effects were made in Paris Studio's, but on the whole the film is a spleandor for the eyes and ears. However beyond its political statement the film is also a hommage to Hollywoods golden Age Cinema, which influenced Chahines generation, in that it is at the sametime a Musical, a Peplum ( that is swords and sandles movie) and also a Comedy at times.I highly reccomend this film to westerners who can rediscover Egyptian cinema and one of its best directors.


Ready for measure to win The Palme d'Or   April 16, 2001
3 out of 7 found this review helpful

Chahine is an esteemed director , when I see the reruns of some of his early material such as " Bab El-Hadid" , I marvel at the beauty and the simplicity of those films ,made in the pure neo-realist tradition. Yet "The destiny" is a weak and disconnected film , its main message is a "politically correct" one: there can be no strict adherence to a religious doctrine without fanaticism and to a certain extent terrorism , that message was almost tailored to please the western media , and Mr Chahine was rewarded with the much coveted Palme d'Or.

I also agree with Mr Hefny the reviewer from Cairo , he blew a great opportunity for a serious treatment of the subject of political coercion in the name of religion . His decision to use egyptian slang as the language of Andalusia some 800 years ago is a farce and an insult to the intelligence of the arab viewer. With all due respects to Mr Chahine , we deserve better than this.