Zaytoun

Name: Zaytoun
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller, War
Released: September 20, 2013
Duration: 110 min
Rating: 39

2013

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Ratings

See All

5.9

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.9	Your Score
5.9	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Zaytoun

Now Playing: Zaytoun

Movie Details & Credits

Strand Releasing | Release Date: September 20, 2013 | Not Rated

Summary: Beirut, 1982: a young Palestinian refugee and an Israeli fighter pilot form a tentative bond in their attempt to make their way across war-torn Lebanon back to their home.

Director: Eran Riklis

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama, Thriller, War

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 110 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Rene Rodriguez

Oct 3, 2013

The combination of youthful irreverence and military indoctrination is jarring. Read full review

John DeFore

Sep 27, 2013

Riklis isn’t heavy-handed here, and even when the film’s plot grows a little unlikely, its tone is never sappy. Read full review

Tom Russo

Oct 24, 2013

A scene between Yoni and Fahed in the pilot’s makeshift holding cell is a microcosm of everything that’s right about the movie, and not quite right. Read full review

The Playlist Joe Cunningham

Aug 16, 2013

Despite some great character work, the film's journey comes across as pedestrian at best. Read full review

Stephen Dalton

Sep 20, 2013

The film’s facile message of cross-cultural unity owes more to fairy tale than reality, but the action is slick and the story gripping. Read full review

David Fear

Sep 17, 2013

The fact that the film’s title is an Arabic word for “olive,” as in holding out said branch to your foes, gives you a sense of what Israeli filmmaker Eran Riklis (Lemon Tree) is going for: a melodrama with a do-we-all-not-bleed? moral. Read full review

Tomas Hachard

Sep 15, 2013

It misfires in tone, depth, and political tact, dumbing down rather than providing new insights into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Read full review

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

LeZee

Jan 8, 2014

Well intended small storied movie with backdrop of war between Israel and Lebanon. Well cast and shot in exotic places. From the Hollywood actor of 'Brake' fame and the director of 'Lemon Tree' joined hands together for this project. A couple of years ago I saw 'Lemon Tree', this director isWell intended small storied movie with backdrop of war between Israel and Lebanon. Well cast and shot in exotic places. From the Hollywood actor of 'Brake' fame and the director of 'Lemon Tree' joined hands together for this project. A couple of years ago I saw 'Lemon Tree', this director is really a master rendering movies with complicated theme. From characters to concept and emotions it was well balanced. The second half is what gives more depth in human emotions than the conflict between two people. Definitely it is not a masterpiece, but where it takes place and what it deals were much reasonable to praise.

It is set in 1982 in war torn Lebanon. An Israeli pilot Yoni, who crash land in Beirut is taken captive by Palestine Liberation Organization. There he meets a 12 year old boy Fahed whose father was recently killed in an Israeli air strike. He knows that he's not him, but the boy raged with full of anger to take revenge. For the reason he must give up it and should cope with the prisoner to fulfil his father's wish. So they make a deal before teaming up and try to escape from there. The rest of the story is a journey that happens on the road to their freedom.

The title represents an olive plant that carried all the time by the boy in the movie. As it an Arabic title of an Israeli movie, various languages spoken throughout. For me everything was just same because I was depended on a subtitle. The movie won my heart for the reason that the main two characters considered as enemies to each other, but the time being they begin to understand. Theirs journey on a dangerous path against all the human created boundary was really touched me. Better than I expected, kinda partially rare movie should be recognised in vastly.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 1 REVIEWS