User Reviews

Having saved the world so many times, how many superheroes have you seen on the cover of Time magazine? That's right, they don't exist. But real heroes do and they don't need superpowers or a fancy costume to stand in the face of injustice. As a defender of truth and equality in the times we live in, this is the incredible true story of Malala Yousafzai, a real hero whose only weapon is indelible courage.

From Academy Award winning director Davis Guggenheim and produced by Imagenation Abu Dhabi, He Named Me Malala is part documentary, part animation, and part live action, but wholly narrated by Malala and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai. Although the use of animation is questionable, these segments are used as plot points leading up to the day when Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban. If not, Guggenheim would have had to reenact those moments using real actors but at the risk of discounting the authenticity of this documentary. Along with actual news footage and still images, much of the story is a reiteration of her courage, her ordeal, her survival, and her dedication as a right-to-education activist. While this might seem all too familiar to anyone following the news, the documentary doesn't feel scripted or even overladen with praise. And why shouldn't it be? This is about the assassination attempt on a 15-year-old girl whose only crime was speaking out on her basic right to an education.

Inspired by her memoir I Am Malala, the film begins in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in 2013, where the Yousafzai family is based post recovery period. Although you don't see a scar, Malala bears a lopsided smile whenever she is asked a question. There is sadness in her eyes along with bashful insecurity but also wisdom and an inner strength much beyond her age. "Three years have passed", she recalls, not of the attempt on her life, but having left her beautiful home in the Swat Valley province of Pakistan. Surrounded by Afghani Mountains, we are shown images of this scenic region (which is always presented as a place of bloodshed and massacre by the media) before Malala begins her story. This is also where the narrative shifts from Malala to her father, beginning with his version of a 'love marriage' to Malala's mother. As a self-taught public speaker, Ziauddin's story is as incredible as his daughter Malala's. While it's clear where the latter gets her courage and insight from, it's the development of a symbiotic father-daughter relationship that makes this a documentary that must be seen.

Riveting, and at times overwhelming, He Named Me Malala is a delight to watch, and so is Malala Yousafzai. Guggenheim could have stuffed this film with geopolitical propaganda and ended it with a bleeding cry for justice. When asked if they caught the person who shot his daughter, Ziauddin replies "Not a person, but an ideology". Likewise, Malala has her own quips, and along with her brothers and her father add refreshingly funny moments given the subject matter. At the same time and given her status as a public figure, at no point does Malala seem like a celebrity, nor does she see herself that way. What you do see is a shy teenager but one that is utterly brave and honest with the kind of raw dedication that outflanks millions, possibly billions, of people her age. The fact that Malala was featured on Time magazine twice, followed by her becoming the youngest ever recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 proves my last statement.

He Named Me Malala is highly inspirational and the type of film where you clap in the end, only to realize that you've clapped too early. Malala is only 18 now, but she has achieved far more than any of us ever will. That itself is worth a standing ovation and I wish her a long life of success in her fight for equality and education with many more accolades to come.

Greetings again from the darkness. One would be hard-pressed to name anyone currently on the planet who is more deserving of having her story told than Malala Yousafzai. In case you don't recognize the name, Malala is the teenage girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out in favor of education for Pakistani girls.

Unlike her namesake in the legendary story told to open the film, this Malala somehow survived the gunshot and has continued her mission of spreading the importance of education throughout the globe. Her efforts resulted in her being named the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2014. This girl is extraordinary and inspiring.

Davis Guggenheim has proved his expertise in the documentary world with excellent work in Waiting for Superman (2010) and his Oscar winner An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Though Malala may be his most fascinating subject to date, this is probably not his best filmmaking. The extensive use of animation distracts from Malala's story, and also Guggenheim's attempts to show the teenage girl that exists alongside the global activist are often disjointed. We enjoy seeing her warm and sincere interactions with her brothers and her embarrassment at low grades on school work, but each time one of these sequences begins, the film abruptly shifts to another incident – possibly as a reminder to us that her life is anything but normal.

Some of the film's highlights include Malala's speech to the United Nations assembly, the crime scene photographs of the bus on which she and her friends were shot, and those moments when she lets her emotions roam free … she mutters "It's so hard to get things done in this world". We feel her pain and find ourselves wanting to stand with Malala.

Much of what we see is from her promotional tour to support her book "I am Malala", and it's her words and commitment to the cause that leave such an impression. Guggenheim hints that her father may have pushed her into this life, but this wise-beyond-her-years young woman has more than earned our respect and admiration. She convinces us that the best way to "arm" young people around the world is with books and a pen … the most powerful weapons. Her courage and commitment cause us to question our actions as 17 year olds. What a truly extraordinary person she is.

While a documentary can have the distance approach, it would have been difficult to sell this one. This is all about feeling, all about emotion and all about emancipation. It is also about freedom and unity. About misunderstandings and clarifications. There is so much going on, that it's amazing it's not a longer movie/running time.

It works on almost all these levels, people are familiar with the person (be it because of her TV appearances or her nominations). But it's still something different to see her personally or learn about her family and her father. You have to be a strong person to survive the things she has to face, but she still remains "human" (if that is a thing to say). A strong message is delivered and a powerful movie made ...

This movie is very inspirational, educational and makes me realize how fortunate I am to have an education and not have to worry about the safety of my life or family.

He Named Me Malala, is a documentary about Malala Yousafzai who takes huge risks to stand up for girls' rights to receive an education in Pakistan. When Malala is 15 years old, she makes public speeches about how she doesn't think the Taliban is doing the right thing by blocking girls from getting an education. One morning on the way to school, members of the Taliban board Malala's school bus, ask for her by name, and try to assassinate her. Malala is shot on the left side of her head and she miraculously survives. After her recovery, she continues to put her own life in danger by speaking out against the Taliban. Fast forward to 2014, at age 17, Malala is the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

The relationship between Malala and her father, Ziuddin Yousafzai is very strong and shown throughout the documentary. Malala said that she and her dad have two different bodies but they share one soul. They both speak out and help each other have a voice. Ziuddin named his daughter after a historical Afghanistan woman who courageously went onto the battlefield to fight for freedom. Similarities are shown between the two Malalas, both strong young women willing to take a stand.

My favorite scene is at the beginning of the movie when Malala is at her home with her brothers and Dad having conversations like a tight-knit family. This scene has some comedic relief between Malala and her brothers and this shows she has a normal life.

The message of He Named Me Malala is that we should stand up for what's right and what we believe in no matter the consequences. That can be really difficult to do. Malala really shows what she believes in and says that there is a moment when one should choose to stand or not. Whe chose to speak out. The movie states, "When you educate a girl, it changes our world." Thanks to Malala, more girls are getting educated and our world will be a better place because of it.

I rate this film 5 out of 5 stars because it is very inspirational and shows how one person can really make a difference in the world. I recommend this film for ages 13-18 because it is intense and has actual news videos of murders done by the Taliban.

Reviewed by Lainey A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

After seeing this I want to change my name to Malala.

Malala is a noteworthy individual who deserves to be documented. Like she says in the movie, her story is every girls story, and it deserves to me told.

This doc tells a story of a 17 year old girl and how she interacts with her family, how she goes to school, her attraction to boys, and her not so average status as a world wide celebrity just for speaking out for a woman's right to education.

It's a problem a huge chunk of the world faces and some of us can't fully wrap our head around. The concept that you could get shot in the face for speaking your mind about the basic needs of all humans. He Name Me Malala follows this brave young girl around the globe as she campaigns for children like herself to be educated.

My favorite part of the movie, He Named Me Malala is the guy who named her Malala. They portrayed a truly great man (behind the woman), who saw his child (not a boy or a girl) and encouraged her to speak her mind, and they displayed it like it was not a big deal, just a father doing the best thing for his children.

To me it was what all of us have in common with Malala that makes this documentary special, and in return makes everything that she has done inspirational.

Go see it and get inspired.

"He Named Me Malala" (2015 release; 88 min.) is a documentary about Malala Yousafzai, the remarkable young lady from Pakistan, whom the Taliban tried to assassinate because she stood up for the right to an education for young girls. As the movie opens, we are told (via animation) where the name Malala comes from (an Afghani folk hero who encouraged/inspired the Afghan army in their battle against the UK). We then immediately switch to the footage of Malala's wounded body being treated after the Taliban's assassination attempt in October 2012--yes, almost 3 years ago to the date). The documentary then switches to "Birmingham, England, 2013", where we see Malala with her two brothers and her parents. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director David Guggenheim, best known for previous efforts such as Waiting for Superman, and It Might Get Loud. Here he tackles a difficult task, namely how to make an enticing documentary about a remarkable person, without coming across as simply wanting to 'glorify' that person. The answer, as it turns out, is quite simple: show us that person (in this case Malala) in their natural environment, and let us observe the REAL person. And then Guggenheim has another ace up his sleeve: he lets us catch glimpses (and more) of how the Taliban slowly but surely changes the Swat Valley in Pakistan, where Malala and her family lived. I must say, I was quite shocked at what I saw: the Taliban's brutality and determination knows no boundaries. As Malala (or was it her dad) observes at one point: "For the Taliban, it is not about faith, it is about power". Speaking of Malala's dad, it turns out he is quite remarkable well. I wondered why the movie wasn't simply called "I Am Malala" (her autobiography, from which the movie of course borrows), but now that I've seen it, it makes perfect sense, as this is a documentary not just about Malala but also very much about her dad. There is various remarkable archive footage in the documentary about the Taliban, her dad, and of course Malala herself. I must admit that I was worried how the makers of this documentary were going to fill an hour and a half in a way that would keep my attention. I shouldn't have worried. This is a moving documentary that, frankly, left me even more in awe of Malala than I already was. And to think this young lady is still only 18 years old as we speak! I am humbled and also a little inspired after seeing this.

"He Named Me Malala" opened yesterday (yes, Thursday is the new Friday), and the screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended okay but not great. That is a darn shame. I, for one, happen to think that "He Named me Malala" should be required viewing for all kids in the US grades 6 and up, and certainly I hope that many adults will see this too. "He Named Me Malala" is an inspired, and inspiring, documentary and is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is actually not a review but I found it very interesting that there are some reviews here which are quite negative. At least some of them from Pakistanis who took this very personal. But I personally think (and hope) the most viewers are mature in their opinions and not necessairly base their opinion about whole Pakistan based just on this movie. It was clearly not an aim of the film to show only the raw facts and overview about situation in the whole country. I believe that what happened to Malala in the Swat valley was real, Talibans are real and the problem is real.

Moreover, I think it was clear from the movie that the bound of Malala with her father is strong and they actually received the Nobel price together (if I'm not mistaken). Not sure why to accuse him of creating a puppet from his daughter. Of course, parents have a great influence on their kids. Even if they got pretty much independent in life it always starts with their parents. The father of Malala himself got a huge inspiration from his father. I don't see anything abnormal there.

I know there could be an endless discussion about the movie and the politics related to the issues presented in it. And this is clearly not a place for that... Anyways, I hope people will be critical towards what they saw in the movie (and in life) and get some inspiration from it. One has always to read between the lines and not take things too serious.

Peace.

Academy Award Winning Director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth - 2006) graciously guides the viewing audience into the life and times of Malala Yousafzi, the young Pakistani girl (youngest Nobel Prize Winner - 2014) who was shot in her school bus (along with two friends) in 2012 by the Taliban. At the heart of this educational and heartwarming film is the relatable and kind Malala, the daughter of outspoken father Toor Pekai, reserved mother Khushal and sister to two equally enjoyable brothers Ziauddin and Atal. Through personal interviews that bring forth the light that shines within Malala and her family, we learn of her upbringing, gain insight into her family and community, and learn of her writing relationship with the BBC before and through the rise of the Taliban. Making the story accessible (especially to the younger audience), Guggenheim perfectly intertwines (though animation) the story behind Malala's name - the name comes from a Pashtun woman who encouraged the Afghan forces to fight on during the Battle of Maiwand. This is a remarkable story that deserves to be told and experienced by all, especially today's young women. "Let us pick-up our books and our pencils. They are our most powerful weapon". Look for this one to move right to the top for Award consideration.

Great companion to the book. Secondary, nevertheless. The book is much more powerful.

Malala Yousafzai is a young activist for womens rights. At 15yrs old she was shot in the head by Taliban but regardless continued to spread her message worldwide as an ambassador for equality.

I expected a powerful documentary telling her entire story but what I got felt very watered down. Focusing as much on her personal life and that of her father as the real matters this wasn't as gritty nor as emotional as I'd expected.

For this I blame the director, I don't know what vision he had but this is less a thought provoking documentary and more a Behind The Music (1997) kind of thing.

Her message is deep, it's meaningful and one that should be spread but this documentary is not the way of doing it. To me these 90 minutes were counter productive in many ways. She fights for equality but defends the religion that has prevented it and resulted in all the atrocities that have befallen her sex and resulted in her catching a bullet to the face.

I do love a good documentary, this simply isn't one.

The Good:

Core message is great

The Bad:

Too light hearted

Excessive focus on her father

Religion is the cause of all of this so why defend it?

Things I Learnt From This Documentary:

If your doctrines say that you should be subserviant and you deserve all the ills that befall you from those that claim to love you, then it makes perfect sense to try and make people ignore it as opposed to leaving the religion.....

In a world where there is a dearth of real life role models, Malala is a shining star. She comes across as an intelligent, deep and at the same time a normal teenage girl.

This is a good movie, if not great that everyone from 10 and above could see, especially children. We take so many things for granted whereas the same basic rights are completely restricted for a vast majority of others.

What is somewhat disturbing is that all this attention and spotlight could potentially rob her life of the usual fun that a regular teenager would be able to enjoy...

In my country/state, there was a poet "Mahakavi Bharathi" who lived some 100 years back and advocated & campaigned for women's rights and education. Malala is the equivalent of Poet Bharathi's "Pudumai Penn" (Modern Lady).

Engaging and captivating movie.

Malala, you are my real life Hero. I salute you!!

I'll have to admit right off the bat that I watched this doc on teen Malala Yousafzai fighting sleep half the time though I managed to keep eyes open most of that period when it showed many of the school buildings that had been blown up after she attended them, courtesy of the Taliban. I did like the scenes of her family as they were now functioning normally in England. It was nice to see her doing well under the public glare after she survived being shot in the head, writing her book, and meeting public figures like Queen Elizabeth and President Obama. I, myself, remember her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert earlier this year as being quite amusing. Nice use of animation when telling tales of her earlier life or of the woman she was named after. So on that note, He Named Me Malala is worth seeing.

Pakistan is not what it pictures. Pakistan is homeland to 160 million people. With one of the biggest telecom sector in the world. Over 40 million smart-phone users predicted by end of 2015. Men and women so commonly get education here like myself, a middle class Computer Science student from local university from where Microsoft hires every year. Much, much more female students becoming medical doctor than males. Almost all my middle class, lower middle class friends(Women and Men) go to college/universities. We have business, industry, universities, advanced army with tools to fight foreign funded few Taliban working for dollar and using religion falsely.

We are a nation of much potential and love. Film does no justice by giving false picture and hiding facts. Every country has some issues, doesn't mean that it is all about that. World needs to understand the true issues only then we can move to the solution.

Most people know her name and she has become a recognized figure throughout the world since winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. But very few know anything about 17 year-old Malala's new life in the UK since she was flown over for emergency medical treatment after her school bus was ambushed and she was shot in the face by the Taliban in the Swat Valley in Pakistan in 2012. The director Davis Guggenheim followed Malala and her family for a year as she travelled the world to speak about her conviction and passion to promote the rights of girls globally to have an education. This took the film maker to Nigeria and Jordan where she spoke to Syrian refugees and to the UN where Malala addressed the Congress. But it is the insight Guggenheim has into the every day home life of the Yousafzai family in Birmingham that is such a charming and magical revelation. He was enchanted by the family and taken into their confidence and trust as is apparent from scenes around the kitchen table and particularly with the deep and very intense relationship between Malala and her father Ziauddin. He named his daughter after the Pashtun heroine Malalai of Maiwand who was assassinated for speaking out. Malala's dignified but shy mother and her cheeky younger brothers are asked about their views on what has happened to their life and how they feel about it. The family has a lot of fun and laughter and Malala is very much a young girl, giggling as she looks at magazine pictures of young cricketers and insisting it is only the cricket she is interested in. Traumatic images of Malala's treatment at the Birmingham hospital where she spent many months, when it was not known if she would survive, let alone be able to speak again, firmly remind us of how the odds were stacked against her and how very miraculous her recovery is as well as the dedication of the team who attended her rehabilitation. Images of the idyllic region of the Swat Valley are re-created by animator Jason Carpenter of Carpenter Bros Animation, an inspired choice, as their delicate creation evokes the beauty and simplicity of the life that the family have had to abandon. Previously unseen news footage of areas where the Talban burned down schools and collected television sets and videos which were burned on a pyre like so many witches, are a brutal reminder of the insanity that has caused such misery to so many. Malala's father condemns their actions and their brand of Islam as evil and clips of him speaking out against them to his compatriots are shown which are scorching in their audacity and bravery. What stands out like a tower of strength is the unbending determination and dedication of Malala to devote her life to the education of all girls everywhere. Her voice is like a spire of light, strong and daunting and she seems to have no fear of speaking to prime ministers and Presidents alike. When Guggenheim asked her if, when she met President Obama she had challenged him about drones killing villagers and women and children she replied with indignation "Of course!". When Malala's name was announced as the recipient of the Nobel Peace prize in 2014 we see her back at home flinging herself into her father's arms and they hug and weep silently, not just with relief and joy but with a love and mutual understanding that knows no bounds. This wonderful insightful film should be shown in all schools all over the world and shines like a beacon of hope to all of us. She is right: one person can change the world.

I watched this movie with some trepidation, having wondered how much Malala was a product of Western media and manipulation. However, she completely won me over. I worked in education programs in Afghanistan and with Afghan refugees in Pakistan. I know firsthand the challenges that the communities in this region face, living with the horrors wrought by those who cope with their fears and insecurities by lashing out at anything they see as threatening, and living within the beautiful soul and heart of the Pashtun people and culture. Malala is a model of this spirit, as are her father, mother and brothers.

I also thought the movie was beautifully made. For me the animated scenes made about parts of the story that couldn't be shown as reality were inspired. We saw what was only memory as a story, which is all it could be. Going back and forth from the present to the past made be slowly come to see how the present Malala came to be. She is smart, wise way beyond her years, funny, delightful. Spending this time with her was inspiring. Everyone who wants to understand the many faces of the human spirit, of Islam, of dedication, of human rights, should see this movie.

The job of a documentary is to clearly and compellingly tell its audience about an issue, event, location, story or person, reinforcing what is widely known, adding to that knowledge and providing valuable new insights. Davis Guggenheim's documentary "He Name Me Malala" (PG-13, 1:27) does some of that. The story of Malala Yousafzai is important and powerful on its own. It should be easy for any documentary filmmaker to tell Malala's story. It'd be difficult to mess it up… or so I thought before seeing this film.

Here's what most of this film's audience members probably already knew about Guggenheim's subject before seeing his documentary: Malala is a Pakistani teenager who has spent several years boldly speaking out in favor of the education of girls living in her home country and all around the world. The Pakistani Taliban, whose strict interpretation of Islam severely limits education for females, targeted Malala for assassination. When she was still just 15-years-old, a gunman boarded her bus and shot Malala in the head, but the bullet didn't kill her. After an intensive international effort to save her life and help her recover from her wounds, Malala became further emboldened for her cause. Her story and resulting fame led her to meet Queen Elizabeth II and President Obama and to speak at the United Nations and at events all over the world. In 2013, she published her memoir "I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban", co-written with British journalist Christina Lamb. In 2014, Malala was announced as the youngest-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. In 2015, she became the subject of a disappointing documentary feature film.

For anyone interested in Malala's story, the well-known facts of her life lead to other questions, the kind that a documentary can and should answer. What kind of person is Malala Yousafzai? What's her family like? Who's the "he" of the film's title and what's the significance of Malala's name? What role have her parents played in her global activism and how do they feel about everything that has happened to their daughter? How does a teenage girl deal with such fame and responsibility? Why did the Taliban consider Malala so much of a threat in the first place? What were the circumstances surrounding her shooting and recovery? What, if any, are the lasting effects of her injuries? How does she feel about the attempt on her life and those who perpetrated it? What happened to Malala after she got out of the hospital? How has she been advocating since? Where is she now and what are her plans for the future? Guggenheim's documentary answers all these questions and more – if you're willing to wade through his haphazard presentation about Malala's life and try to decipher the movie as you watch it.

This documentary starts well and ends well, but most of it is an incoherent mess. In the first scene, we hear Malala telling the story of her namesake, the Afghani Pashtun folk hero Malalai, and we see a stylistically animated version of the legend of Malalai of Maiwand. Then we see Malala Yousafzai being a typical teenager – teasing her brothers, struggling in school, talking about her hopes and dreams. Throughout the movie, with the help of some appealing animation, we get more background about her and her family, what her life was like in Pakistan's Swat Valley and why she spoke out against the Taliban. We hear details of the attempt on her life, we see news footage of the aftermath and we get a glimpse of what it's like to be arguably the world's most famous and respected teenager. By the end of the film, we hear the announcement of her selection for the Nobel Peace Prize and we're left with a greater appreciation of her struggles, her accomplishments and her continuing efforts. The major elements of Malala's story are portrayed, many questions are answered and insights are gained. The components of an excellent documentary are all there, but the film goes badly wrong in its presentation.

"He Called Me Malala" tells Malala's story as if it were a puzzle that audience members are expected to piece together for themselves. Non-linear story-telling with well-timed reveals can make for a very interesting movie – documentary, dramatization or fiction – but can also be confusing and unsatisfying. This film is the latter. Most of the editing feels completely random. For example, a scene from Malala's home life might be followed by a speech she made, then by an unrelated interview segment with her father and then by Malala talking about her shooting, from the middle of the story, only to suddenly leave the story unfinished until we sit through more random bits of information and exposition. All this diminishes the importance of the elements the film presents and makes it difficult to follow the narrative of Malala's life – or even know if all your questions about Malala were answered.

Maybe it's just me, but sabotaging your own film in the name of innovating story-telling seems like a bad idea – and isn't the way that we're used to seeing the talented and accomplished Davis Guggenheim do business. In "An Inconvenient Truth" (2006), Guggenheim turned what was basically a V.I.P. lecture about global warming into a must-see documentary and won an Oscar for his efforts. In 2010's "Waiting for 'Superman'", he turned his talents to the subject of public education and make its problems very personal to his audience. It's surprising and disappointing to see how poorly planned and executed that this documentary turned out to be. Malala and her cause deserve better and so does the audience. "C"

'He Named Her Malala' says it all ... Its all about him ...through her voice he is living his dream. He Being the father.

A documentary that gives insight to who Malala was and is...interesting but all I was faced with was propaganda...the message was disturbing... it was a clumsy effort , poorly made and the contents were disturbing...nothing we haven't seen already...

Who is Malala? A puppet...because as an ordinary girl she gave nothing but when put in front of an audience she spoke confidently...dictated by her father. Division is apparent between the east & west because once again the west are using this tool called Malala to provoke hatred.

Interesting watch...

It was one of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. It really inspired me and it gave me strength to cope with reality. It is amazing to see how just one human being can change thousands of lives.

Awesome! Really enjoyed how her story was told! Creative connection with folk story of Malalai. Beautiful animation for the storytelling sequences. Enjoyed the depth of her father's courageous inspiration. Malala is a very special person. Her eloquence and poise are phenomenal. If I could, I would give this presentation 50 stars!!!

The story about this young girl is of course sad and shows a true side of what people in that region are suffering on a daily basis. But what has actually been achieved from this girls story? Other than PR companies and media drawing from her tragedy, nothing. The wars have increased, the death tolls are mounting and Malala is now just a household name, without people knowing anything more than she got shot in the head by Taliban coward.

Yes she is a great image, but can we believe that her speeches are written from he heart and all her words, hardly likely. Do the U.N and other nations, who effectively created the unrest in this region actually care? Not really, but to have Malala give speeches, it is a constant reminder of the validation of continued presence and involvement by outsiders, which gives way to the uprising of terrorist organisations.

This movie is the exactly what I expected to see, the facts were pathetic, the title is self obsessed and the whole message about what the true meaning of her story is lost. A story like this needs to be told with raw emotion and scripting, not through the eyes of someone who thinks "let's make a blockbuster, tear jerker, lets win awards via the suffering of others".

Unfortunately for Malala, she will never lead a normal life and has become another puppet for the controlling powers. Let the girl be allowed to lead the life that she wants to lead. A responsibility like this is too much for a young person to be burdened with.

A shame that advantage was not taken to show a vision of what it is like for people, especially children growing up in these war zones, through the eyes of a lens, which may have actually had some impact on opening eyes of the rest of the world.

I think Davis Guggenheim has no work now a days...how much money did he get for making this documentary totally on false information....In swat where malala used to live,there is no ban on girls to get educated Before malala and after malala SURPRISINGLY not a single incident of Taliban shooting girls ever taken place....i don't know why malala was attacked ...she is another ordinary girl just like all other girls and we didn't hear malala's name before...his father Ziauddin Yousafzai speaks now on TV as philosopher but as we take a look on his past ....he is not well educated or illiterate person .malala was shot on the head and here wounds often changes from time to time from left to right and right to left...she survived and along with malala there was another girl ..i cant remember her name now.. she died on the spot but BBC and CNN didn't bother to repeat her name...i think if malala is a hero then the girl who died with her her is a super hero ...we should remember her more than malala...i don't know who want to prove that the malala is warrior...and what is the benefit behind this...who is behind the malala....what they want from malala....and the people are so sentimental ...people are just like little children they absorb it as shown on media...but reality is totally different....

Malala, a girl who had lived in northern Pakistan, was shot in her head by Taliban for daring to suggest that girls should go to school. This may be true. But the fact is that in all over Pakistan, we still have schools, girls do go to school. People's minds are clear that education they must give to their children, to give them a hope of better future.

So in the depicted story, it is just a corner plot, a way to defame Pakistan. Moreover it was said that Mullah Fazlullah was a 'Radio mullah'. I do have strong doubts about this statement. Taliban were a small group of militants. How could have they acquired the equipment to set up an FM station of their own and summon on it everyday. It takes a lot of money, access to international market and some genius mind to install it. Surely a group this conservative mind could not do this. So its easier said than done.

Finally the opening quote in this film is misquoted. It was originally said by 'Tipu Sultan', a Muslim sub-continent king who said: 'It's better to live like a lion for one day, than to live like a coward for 100 years'. So a correction is required in this regard.

Overall it is a misguide of quotes, facts and figures, a hype, a propaganda. Malali's family must have been paid a huge sum of money to be a part of this plot in this film. It must have been scripted by western minds to defame my country. So in real life she has played a role of traitor to her country.

However, I support the cause that 'pen and book are the strong weapons'. But don't forget that today's strong weapon is MEDIA. And through this film it has tried to change the perspective of a common western person that Pakistan is full of militants of this kind, and girls are shot like Malala. But its surely not true.