The Dissident
An urgent investigative documentary reconstructs Jamal Khashoggi’s murder while tracing the global machinery of political repression and impunity.
Overview
A gripping exploration of truth and justice in the face of global corruption.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Graphic
- urgent
- harrowing
- investigative
- serious viewing
- current affairs discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Bryan Fogel’s vigorous, comprehensive, and emotionally forceful investigation while noting that its presentation can be over-polished and occasionally unfocused.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film combines CCTV footage, social media history, interviews, and Turkish police video evidence to piece together Khashoggi's disappearance and murder.
The investigation centers on the Saudi government's alleged cover-up and the international effort to expose it.
Khashoggi's journalism, Omar Abdulaziz's dissident activism, and the film's focus on global free speech make press freedom a central concern.
CCTV recordings, social-media history, hacking allegations, and international inquiry create a tense political-investigative atmosphere.
Films like The Dissident, and why
Citizenfour
investigative documentary treatment of state power, political violence, and suppressed truth
The Report
urgent documentary investigation into governmental wrongdoing and institutional secrecy
All the President's Men
journalistic pursuit of corruption and concealed abuse by powerful institutions
Collective
politically charged documentary built from testimony, evidence, and international consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Bryan Fogel
- Release Date
- 2020-12-25
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (122)
Cast
- Jamal Khashoggi
- Omar Abdulaziz
- Prince Mohammed bin Salman al Saud
- İrfan Fidan
- Agnès Callamard
- Hatice Cengiz
- John O. Brennan
- Fahrettin Altun
- Anthony J. Ferrante
- Abdulhamit Gul
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Dissident about?
- An urgent investigative documentary reconstructs Jamal Khashoggi’s murder while tracing the global machinery of political repression and impunity.
- What is The Dissident like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Dissident as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is The Dissident violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Dissident as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Dissident?
- Critics broadly praised Bryan Fogel’s vigorous, comprehensive, and emotionally forceful investigation while noting that its presentation can be over-polished and occasionally unfocused.
- Which films are like The Dissident?
- Films with a similar feel include Citizenfour, The Report, All the President's Men, and Collective.
- How long is The Dissident?
- The Dissident runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Dissident?
- In United States, The Dissident is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
Browse Ember's collections
Movies like The Dissident
- The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz2014
- Cecil2026
- Revolution of Our Times2021
- Citizenfour2014
- On Trial: The Idaho College Killer2025
- Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy2025
- Collective2019
- Into the Deep: The Submarine Murder Case2020
- The Mole: Undercover in North Korea2020
- Critical Incident: Death at the Border2025
