Film Review: The Prophet (2014). Directors: Tomm Moore, Roger Allers, Mohammed Saeed Harib, Gaetan Brizzi, Paul Brizzi, Bill Plympton, Joann Sfar, Michal Socha, Nina Paley And Joan. C. Gratz.

 

The legendary Victor Hugo said, “the greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves”. The world needs truth-tellers to open its eyes and give it a novel perspective, but it also needs soothsayers to understand its current state and to give it hope. Visionaries and poets have equal importance,  the latter’s words act as catalysts in the former’s actions in leading the world to a new horizon.

 

One of such poets was Kahlil (Khalil) Gibran who touched humanity with his words and the emancipating, powerful and moving truths behind them. ‘The Prophet’ (written by Gibran, and first published in 1923) is one of the most loved Poetic Works of all time, and to have an animated film adapted on the same is a challenge that actor and producer Salma Hayek Pinault took on and accomplished quite successfully.

 

‘The Prophet’ (2014) streaming on 'Netflix' is a film set in Lebanon of the ancient Ottoman empire, where Kamila, a woman of modest means has to earn a livelihood as well as take care of her notorious daughter, Almitra. Kamila takes a job at the poet Mustafa’s house as a domestic helper. Mustafa amuses and enlightens Almitra and everyone in the village with his wisdom and insights on the various phases of life.

 

The film is set in the pre-sexism era where everyone had to work hard to earn their bread. The self-awareness of Kamila and her love for Almitra in the way any mother would love her child and would want to give it the best of everything is wonderful and relatable. Mustafa is famous, and has admirers from the village and beyond, but it comes with a price. Mustafa’s clarity of thought coupled with his ability to weave it in beautiful wreaths of verses also makes him the target of jealousy of a great many who want him exiled from the village.

‘The Prophet’ (2014) definitely brings a new style of cinema to the viewers. There are no songs and dances and in no way is the film a musical, the film is a presentation of the journey of life in the form of vignettes. Each vignette is a poetic dance, a visual treat and a comfort to the soul. The innovation quotient of the film is breath-taking and 'The Prophet' (2014) is definitely an animated film that would make a lot of sense to adults and entertain as well as enlighten children.

 

The adaptation of the film is quite ‘on-point’ but the Directors have taken a few liberties in it. While the poetic beauty is retained and aesthetically enhanced, the story is altered and made more palatable to the audience. In the book, Mustafa gives his counsel to all the villagers on every part of life, right from marriage to non-vegetarianism, in the film, Mustafa mostly engages Almitra in these conversations and sometimes, the villagers.

 

The film is artistic, comforting, poetic and has lovely background music. The vignettes are aesthetic and tasteful. The thought process behind transforming the couplets in the work to cogent vignettes is laudable. The run time of the film is 85 minutes, yet it feels complete and the audience would feel that the directors have done justice to the couplets and not rushed them into a short time span.

 

The film hits home because it does not attempt to be artistic. It simply does justice and pays homage to a great poet who lived, thought and wrote ahead of his time. All the directors have directed the film in bits and their perspective in its development is colossal, relatable, relevant and laudable to say the least. Actors like Liam Neeson in the role of Mustafa, Salma Hayek Pinault as Kamila, Quvenzhané Wallis as the sweet and naughty Almitra along with John Krasinski in a supporting role have made the film delectable.

 

Overall, ‘The Prophet’ (2014) dazzles the audience and feeds their soul. It is a must watch.

MY TAKE: 9.5/10. 

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Author: Ms. Radhika Sunil Vaidya. 

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