"Paradise Now" Review

"Paradise Now" tells the story of two young Muslim men who are going through the seemingly never-ending battle between Israelis and Palestinians. These two best friends are told a day prior that they are to fulfill a mission as suicide bombers. After they're both told this, the story gets a bit more personal and illustrates for us the histories and backgrounds of these two young men. They believe they will attain equality to the Israelis if they do not go through with these missions. As one says in the film, "At least we will die as equals." But, a woman in the film, Suha, is a bit more moderate in her views and she's unafraid to express them to the two men, especially as she gets suspicious and worried about what lies ahead for them. The first mission fails and both men start having doubts about what they're doing, but they both are sent out for a second mission. At any time, they can call the man who drove them to the destination and go home if they so wish. Both Said and Kahled (the two men on the mission) had stated if they were chosen for a mission, for them to be together, so they could die with one another. The ending is a bit of a surprise. It is ambiguous and sad, yet hopeful. It was just announced that "Paradise Now" is up for Best Foreign Picture at the Academy Awards. After viewing it, I can see why this is. It's a very fast paced 91 minutes, keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat throughout, has intense dialogue, gets personal with Said and Kahled, and has an unforgettable finale.

Overall Grade: 8/10