The Mauritanian review – A fence-sitting Guantánamo drama!

What if you are held in prison without any charge? 

Not only is it unfair and inhuman but this has happened to a Mauritanian man from 2002 to 2016! 

This movie is based on a 2015 memoir written by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, whom the United States held, without charge, for fourteen years in Guantánamo Bay detention camp – a United States military prison.

(This book (diary) was largely written in 2005 in the English he had learned largely in Guantánamo and was submitted to military censors who made 2,500 redactions before releasing the manuscript to Slahi’s attorneys seven years later. However, in 2017, the book was republished with the redactions restored.)

 In 2015, movie producers were granted permission to make a movie from the memoirs of the diary. It is based on the screenplay written by M.B. Traven, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani. 

Starring Tahar Rahim as Slahi, the movie also features Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Zachary Levi in supporting roles. 

It first premiered on Amazon Prime on 1 April 2021 and has received mixed to positive reviews with many critics praising Kevin Macdonald’s direction, its cinematography and the performances of the cast (particularly of Rahim and Foster) but criticising its screenplay. It has been produced by Adam Ackland, Michael Bronner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leah Clarke, Christine Holder, Mark Holder, Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin, Branwen Prestwood-Smith.

The film has received many nominations such as Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (for Rahim), Best Supporting Actress – for Jodie Foster,    Best Film, Outstanding British Film, and Best Actor (for Rahim) at a Golden Globe Awards and a British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). 

Mohamedou Ould Slahi is accused of being one of the organizers of 9/11 and Nancy Hollander, – a lawyer is told to look into a case because she has a security clearance. So she represents him and fights for his justice. 

A complicated and interesting swing of events against injustice and inhumanity is brilliantly acted out by Tahar Rahim. With icy-cold cell props, enhanced interrogative techniques, and unimaginable forms of torture all the events at the detention centre have been painted out almost as they were in actuality. 

This film is a must-watch for every person to know that besides the bombing of 9/11, there was much more to even the scrutiny of the people behind the attacks.