Rebel Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Rebel Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 23, 2024

A directing duo, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah were once Belgium-born filmmakers making small movies for local audiences. They were eventually brought to Hollywood, tasked to do something with “Bad Boys for Life” after the troubled production had difficulty getting off the ground. The pair created a hit, and the industry asked for more, with El Arbi and Fallah soon put in charge of the superhero picture, “Batgirl,” which was eventually shelved due to reasons that will probably never be crystal clear. The helmers are back in business with another “Bad Boys” sequel for this summer, but before they return to big-budget extravaganzas, they revive their indie spirit with “Rebel.” Taking on the psychological and physical destruction of Syrian warfare, El Arbi and Fallah (who also co-script with Kevin Meul and Jan van Dyck) make a deeply personal feature that explores the horrors of Islamic State and the influence of radicalization in Europe, mixing raw emotions with unexpected blasts of artful expression that keeps viewers invested in material that would otherwise be extraordinarily difficult to watch.

In 2013, Kamal (Aboubakr Bensaihi) is a young Syrian man in Belgium, running with the wrong crowd while trying to become a rapper, selling a fast lifestyle in his videos. His mother, Leila (Lubna Azabal), doesn’t know how to reach her first-born son, refocusing efforts on her other child, Nassim (a somewhat blank Amir El Arbi), who worships Kamal. When his drug stash is discovered by law enforcement, Kamal goes on the run, pulled into a system that brings him to Syria, forced to join Islamic State. At first looking to hide in the mix as a videographer for propaganda clips, Kamal is quickly exposed to bigger horrors as he’s dragged around, finding some solace in his wife, Noor (Tara Abboud), trying to create a small sense of freedom for her. Back in Belgium, Nassim is approached by Hind (Malak Sebar), who attempts to win the mind of the boy, teasing access to Kamal while slowly turning the child into a follower of Islamic State, aiming to separate him from Leila.

“Rebel” plays a little with time, introducing Kamal as a man involved in an execution video, with this identification tied to the mystery of his whereabouts, which greatly distresses his mother and brother. The writing rewinds a bit to understand this extreme position, highlighting Kamal’s fast experience in Brussels, where he works to perfect his rap personality and rhyme skills, also dealing with a dark side that’s tied to criminal activity. He’s gone wrong, but his heart remains, soon sucked into the Islamic State recruitment machine when things get out of hand for him. Initially in Syria for aid-related activity, Kamal is quickly exposed to the horrors of war, dealing with bombings and bodies as he tries to bring some order to chaos, learning more about such futility before his own life is changed forever.

“Rebel” remains with Kamal for the first hour, understanding his fears and frustrations, stuck in a situation that’s worsening every minute. El Arbi and Fallah display the growing nightmare, but they also seek to understand the mind, with Kamal using rap to provide some level of release from the trauma he’s experiencing, and the helmers support with music video-like choreography. There are more flashes of fantasy with other characters, but “Rebel” doesn’t trivialize pain, dealing directly with the shock of Islamic State atrocities and ruin, introducing Noor, a doctor reduced to a fully covered target of sexual violence, soon “married” to Kamal, with their relationship examined in the midsection of the movie. As Syrian agony continues, the writing also tracks Nassim’s experience in Belgium, with the boy’s vision blurred by Hind, a man who offers friendship to a lonely kid, keeping him hopeful while poisoning his mind.

Rebel Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a decent sense of detail throughout the viewing experience. The physical decline for the characters is easily understood, and costuming remains textured as casual wear turns into military uniforms. Locations are dimensional, preserving the isolation of the Syrian stops, and interiors are open for inspection, visiting living spaces and Islamic State buildings. Colors are clear, with a satisfying sense of golden locations and sun-blasted encounters. Clothing favors blacks and browns, while time in Belgium offers livelier primaries on style choices, vehicles, and signage. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is acceptable, inching close to solidification at times. Compression is an issue with this release, with banding a common sight, joined by brief glimpses of posterization.

Rebel Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The two primary sound options for "Rebel" are DolbyTrueHD 7.1 and 5.1 DTS-HD MA, with the film exploring multiple language. The tracks aren't all that far apart in design, with the 5.1 a bit more immediate, with a louder presence. Dialogue exchanges maintain clarity throughout the listening experience, capturing hushed emotionality and more aggressive confrontations without distortive extremes. Scoring cues deliver crisp orchestral support, joined by performance numbers, which offer sharp vocals and instrumentation. Surrounds are often subtle but effective, examining atmospherics as the story moves from city events to desert happenings. Violent activity carries some panning effects and channel separation. Musical moods also deliver fullness. Sound effects are crisp. Low-end explores beats and explosions.

Rebel Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (14 pages) includes an essay by Evrim Ersoy.

• Intro (:24, HD) is a brief video conference welcome from directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who list "Rebel" as their "most important, most personal movie."

• Commentary features directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.

• Animatic-to-Scenes (HD) includes "Attack of the Village" (1:17) and "Intro Musical" (1:46).

• Behind the Scenes Footage (HD) includes "Attack of the Hospital" (6:01), "ISIS Kid Boot Camp" (3:46), and "Musical #1" (1:01).

• Dance Rehearsal (8:52, SD) goes into preliminary stages of movement with the performers, who work out the choreography of musical moments found in "Rebel."

• Q&A (24:54, HD) is a 2023 discussion of "Rebel" at the L.A. premiere of the picture, featuring directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who are joined by Oliver Stone.

• "Double K" (2:39, HD) is a Kamal Kawasaki music video clip.

• "Family Testimony: The Full Scene" (10:10, HD) is an extended version of a therapy sequence, noting that "all the actors playing the parents in this scene have lost their children in the conflict with Syria."

• "Broeders" (24:21, HD) is a short film from directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.

• Image Gallery (3:22) collects BTS snaps from the shoot.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:46, HD) is included.

Rebel Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Rebel" ultimately provides three stories of survival, as Kamal experiences Islamic State brutality in his home country, and Nassim is slowly polluted by predators hunting for recruits. Leila's efforts to make sense of it all is also followed in the final act, presenting a motherly perspective that's necessary for a rounded understanding of all that's been lost. The writing presents a potent study of radicalization, but "Rebel" is invested in family as well, following the characters as they make mistakes and fight to protect loved ones, struggling through impossible situations of submission. There's brutality here, but also beauty, and El Arbi and Fallah capably move from anguish to unreality, preserving the artfulness of this torturous journey.