The Innocent
A naïve Egyptian conscript discovers that the military has turned his loyalty into an instrument of political repression.
Overview
A simple-minded soldier grapples with the harsh realities of war and deception in a politically charged environment.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- harrowing
- melancholic
- poignant
- political cinema night
- arab cinema discovery
What critics said
Critics broadly recognize the film's bold political ideas and Ahmed Zaki's deeply controlled naïve performance, while finding its melodrama, random violence, and agitprop treatment uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ahmad is recruited into the army and deceived into viewing political activists as enemies of Egypt.
Ahmad's simple-minded faith and naïveté make him vulnerable to military indoctrination and coercion.
The prison and its wardens normalize violence, while personal humanization fails to excuse the brutality inside the walls.
Ahmad's peasant background is contrasted with the army's political manipulation and prison discipline.
Films like The Innocent, and why
The Battle of Algiers
political repression, moral awakening, and a compassionate protagonist confronting state violence
A Prophet
institutional brutality, political injustice, and an ordinary person transformed by oppressive systems
The Lives of Others
bleak social drama centered on dehumanizing authority and an individual's struggle to recover moral agency
Movie Details
- Director
- Atef El-Tayeb
- Release Date
- 1986-01-02
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (22)
Cast
- Ahmed Zaki
- Mahmoud Abdel Aziz
- Mamdouh Abdelalim
- Hassan Hosny
- Gamil Ratib
- Salah Qabil
- Elham Shahein
- Hosny Abdul Jalil
- Badr Nofal
- Nahed Samir
Common questions
- What is The Innocent about?
- A naïve Egyptian conscript discovers that the military has turned his loyalty into an instrument of political repression.
- What is The Innocent like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Innocent as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Innocent violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Innocent as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Innocent?
- Critics broadly recognize the film's bold political ideas and Ahmed Zaki's deeply controlled naïve performance, while finding its melodrama, random violence, and agitprop treatment uneven.
- Which films are like The Innocent?
- Films with a similar feel include The Battle of Algiers, A Prophet, and The Lives of Others.
- How long is The Innocent?
- The Innocent runs 110 minutes.
