97. The Nile Hilton Incident; movie review

THE NILE HILTON INCIDENT
Cert 15
111 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language, violence, drug misuse

In the UK, when we bemoan our political system, we tend to be criticising crassness or perceived injustices. Seldom to we refer to bribery and corruption.
It is, therefore, difficult to imagine a society where both are endemic and that basic freedoms cannot be taken for granted,
Egypt was such a place during the regime of President Hosni Mubarak - politicians and police traded back-handers for favours.
The people were so appalled that eventually they protested en masse. Sadly, despite their initial quick win in having Mubarak ousted, little has changed.
Tarik Saleh's film is set at the time of the Mubarak protests and stars Fares Fares as a police commander who is investigating the murder of a singer at the Nile Hilton Hotel.
All evidence points to a well-known politician (Ahmed Salim) but the cop is warned away from him - particularly by his police chief uncle (Yasser Ali Maher).
However, he pursues the inquiry and finds one glimmer of hope in a cleaner (Mari Malek) at the hotel who witnessed the killing.
The Nile Hilton Incident is more potent because its lead character is flawed. He is not beyond taking illicit money, becoming sexually involved with those he is investigating, drinking and chain smoking.
The loss of his wife in a car crash has hit him hard but beneath this damaged exterior still beats the need to do the right thing.
The latter means that, whatever his weaknesses, the audience is on his side as he seeks to protect the innocent against those who are exploiting them.
Saleh's film has a straightforward thread but that is woven intricately into the political upheaval of 2011 - the year in which it is set.
It offers a deep and frightening insight into a country which remains beset with problems while giving its audience a high-standard thriller.

Reasons to watch: Intriguing, well-constricted crime thriller
Reasons to avoid: If you don't know about Egypt's uprising, it won't resonate as much.

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10

Director's statement - Tarik Saleh: "The film is all about Cairo. About the past and the future colliding – and the people that get crushed in the middle. Three days before principle shooting was gone begin, Egyptian State Security closed us down. We had to move the production to Casablanca. I was devastated."

The big question - Why did the Egyptian protestors not secure a longer term victory?

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