Marooned in Iraq revolves around three main characters, two sons Bahrat and Audeh and their father Mirza. They go on a journey to find their mother Hanareh who has fallen ill. During this journey they run into many set backs which include having their bike stolen by marauders, losing all their clothing, being bombed by the army and trying to find the place that Mirza is located.
This movie was both enjoyable and tedious at times. During the long parts of the movie it became very boring because of the long rolling shots of scenery. In contrast, during the interactions of the characters it was enjoyable and funny at times. Looking at this from an American point of view, this movie isn't what I would typically watch or even see in the US. Some of the parts did not work quite as well as the others, mainly because this isn't the typical movie I'd see.
That being said, the director did a very good job at what he was trying to show. Since this movie is a Kurdish movie, the whole journey and nomadic feelings were very well represented. It was true to the Kurds' nomadic culture and throughout the whole movie I got a sense of it being about nomads. The rolling shots and grand scenery made this more enjoyable than just watching a cityscape for a long time. The humor in the movie transcended cultures and was funny to me. It wasn't stifled by too many cultural references. Although this did work better for me, because I was familiar with some of the Kurdish culture, this doesn't mean it will not work for other audiences.
The biggest thing, that will be confusing in this movie, is the whole symbolism of the ending. This is very typical of movies from this region and it leaves you without a true resolution to the movie. There are a few different story lines which are left alone that you have to determine what happens for yourself. This worked for me because you don't have to see the movie as a clear cut story and that any one of these story lines could progress further. This may not work for everyone in the American audience because a lot of people would rather see how each story ends.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wishes to see a true representation of the Kurdish culture. This gives you an unbiased look into their culture in which you get a feel of what the Kurds are all about. Any American who is open to a different style of movie making will find this to be a good example of that. That being said, you need to go into this movie thinking of it differently than you would an American made movie. If you can do that then you can find enjoyment in this movie.
This movie was both enjoyable and tedious at times. During the long parts of the movie it became very boring because of the long rolling shots of scenery. In contrast, during the interactions of the characters it was enjoyable and funny at times. Looking at this from an American point of view, this movie isn't what I would typically watch or even see in the US. Some of the parts did not work quite as well as the others, mainly because this isn't the typical movie I'd see.
That being said, the director did a very good job at what he was trying to show. Since this movie is a Kurdish movie, the whole journey and nomadic feelings were very well represented. It was true to the Kurds' nomadic culture and throughout the whole movie I got a sense of it being about nomads. The rolling shots and grand scenery made this more enjoyable than just watching a cityscape for a long time. The humor in the movie transcended cultures and was funny to me. It wasn't stifled by too many cultural references. Although this did work better for me, because I was familiar with some of the Kurdish culture, this doesn't mean it will not work for other audiences.
The biggest thing, that will be confusing in this movie, is the whole symbolism of the ending. This is very typical of movies from this region and it leaves you without a true resolution to the movie. There are a few different story lines which are left alone that you have to determine what happens for yourself. This worked for me because you don't have to see the movie as a clear cut story and that any one of these story lines could progress further. This may not work for everyone in the American audience because a lot of people would rather see how each story ends.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wishes to see a true representation of the Kurdish culture. This gives you an unbiased look into their culture in which you get a feel of what the Kurds are all about. Any American who is open to a different style of movie making will find this to be a good example of that. That being said, you need to go into this movie thinking of it differently than you would an American made movie. If you can do that then you can find enjoyment in this movie.