The Square

Name: The Square
Genre: Drama, History, Comedy, Documentary, News
Released: October 25, 2013
Duration: 95 min
Rating: 84

2013

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Universal acclaim based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Ratings

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The Square

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Movie Details & Credits

Participant Media | Release Date: October 25, 2013 | Not Rated

Summary: A group of Egyptian revolutionaries battle leaders and regimes, risking their lives to build a new society of conscience.

Director: Jehane Noujaim

Genre(s): Drama, History, Comedy, Documentary, News

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 95 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Mike Scott

Feb 14, 2014

Not only is it a searing on-the-ground, in-the-fray portrait of the heart of Egypt's ongoing revolution, but it is also a stirring tribute to the indomitable spirit of those who are risking, and in many cases giving, their lives to keep it alive. Read full review

100

Kenneth Turan

Oct 31, 2013

The Square bears witness to history in an articulate, thoughtful and intensely dramatic way. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Nov 1, 2013

By the film’s end, the main protagonists have become more philosophical, if no less ardent, about the future of Egypt. “We are not looking for a leader,” Hassan declares. “We are looking for a conscience.” He has only to look in the mirror. Read full review

David Edelstein

Oct 21, 2013

The Square is inner-world-shaking. Read full review

Michelle Orange

Oct 22, 2013

[A] powerful, exacting depiction of Egypt's struggle for meaningful change. Read full review

Simon Houpt

Jan 16, 2014

In the end, Ahmed claims a kind of victory, noting that open dissent and public protest has become embedded in the culture, even if Egyptians have not yet found a leader to unite them all. Something has begun, he says. Its real meaning is not yet clear. Read full review

Tasha Robinson

Oct 23, 2013

It catches, in the most authentic and democratic way possible, a collection of people who’ve developed a strong taste for revolution, but are still trying to figure out what to do with it. Read full review

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User Reviews

Nesbitt10

Jan 28, 2014

Director Jehane Noujaim delivers a riveting documentary with "The Square,"which manages to powerfully convey the chaos, complexity, and inherent dangers of a Revolutionary movement. The film boldly provides a perspective unattainable by journalists, and the activity recorded from 2011 toDirector Jehane Noujaim delivers a riveting documentary with "The Square,"which manages to powerfully convey the chaos, complexity, and inherent dangers of a Revolutionary movement. The film boldly provides a perspective unattainable by journalists, and the activity recorded from 2011 to 2013 captures the passion and defiance of a movement first hand. The fight for a democratic Egypt is far from over, which is part of what makes the film so dynamic and riveting.

"The Square" is a documentary that traces the events of Egypt's Tahrir Square protests beginning in early 2011 when millions of people took to the streets to demand the removal of President/Dictator Hosni Mubarek, who held power for 30 years. However, when Mubarek is overthrown, the army steps in to temporarily take over the countries affairs, but does not follow through with their promises to its citizens.

After a free and fair election, the military fascist dictatorship is essentially replaced by a religious fascist dictatorship under President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Once again, the protesters unite and return to the Square to face a violent military oppression. It's a harrowing narrative of people twice betrayed: once by the army and again by militant Islamists who insist on a constitution based on religion instead of secularism.

Noujaim tells the story primarily through focussing on three activists, all of whom are friends. A charismatic, young artist named Ahmed Hassan, a British accented actor-turned activist Khalid Abdalla ("United 93"and "The Kite Runner"), and a family man Magdy Ashour, who is a member of the Muslim Brotherhood who finds his loyalties to his friends tested. The film's storyline follows the revolutionaries through the euphoria of victory, followed with the uncertainties and dangers while under military rule that threatens the politics of democracy.

"The Square" documents the promise and hope of a better future at the beginning, but by the end, you are left with an overwhelming sense of opportunities lost. While a more detailed back story of political maneuvering would have provided welcome context, its implications for the future are extraordinary. The revolution is a work in progress, a rebellion against an oppressive regime, and a call to arms for true democratic ideals. Informative international media outlets are few, and international news rarely generates much interest in the US. Ever more so it's the courageous filmmakers recording history with handheld cameras that are filling the void.… Expand

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MasterRiley

Dec 20, 2016

The Square is a very interesting movie that I very much enjoyed. I loved seeing the people riot and stand up for something they so very much believe in.

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Richard552

Aug 12, 2022

The Square is a very interesting movie that I very much enjoyed. $1 to buy a Netflix account, Google search: vtvshare

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

KenR

Aug 19, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At the outset, this good looking project promised to be a grand comment on the foolishness, and greed that has taken over aspects of the modern art fraternity - instead, as it progressed, it sadly became precisely what it set out to parody. This is very unfortunate as it shows us the filmmaker may not have been particularly brave enough to deliver a focused message. Cinematographer and director work well together, turning in a visually excellent movie but this is far from good enough. With a script that ultimately offers little commitment, shape or true soul – it simply becomes a series of stylish but poorly connected sequences - pretentiously shouting to the viewer “look at my savvy creativity”.

Come the half-way mark of this unnecessarily over-long, disconnected effort, it becomes painfully obvious that we, the audience, are the ones being conned. Performances are uniformly good but, as for listing several international actors as stars - this is simply dishonest marketing - call them what they are: ‘Guest Stars’. Then, we have the director/writer/co-editor indulging his fetishes by using (or is it abusing) actress Elizabeth Moss for a gratuitous sex scene that’s initiated from simplistic ‘c’ word utterances. This segment goes on to simply culminate in one (of many) plot dead-ends - tending to look rather obviously added for its sensationalistic elements, then ultimately, coming across as simply perverse. Another major sequence features a man violently ‘aping’ an Ape which goes on far too long - only to also lead to yet another dead-end (with the truly shocking end result left hanging). Many will be seduced by this low approach to ‘high-art’ (just as the awards groups seem to be) but looking at some user comments (penned by those who bought tickets and invested valuable time to see this so-called ‘parody’)...it becomes clear many observant viewers were awake to its superficial deceptions. Several mainstream critics were also honest enough to call it out for what it was. While some might rave, as many will see it as just another disappointing cop-out.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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