Rebel

Play trailer

Rebel

2023

2h 13m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

22 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

When Kamal resolves to change his life for the better, he leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. But, having arrived, he is forced to join a militia and is left stranded in Raqqa. Back home, his younger brother Nassim quickly becomes easy prey for radical recruiters, who promise to reunite him with his brother. Their mother, Leila, fights to protect the only thing she has left: her youngest son.

Brandon David Wilson

RogerEbert.com

I wanted Nassim to surprise me, but instead, he becomes a pawn in a cruel game that the filmmakers have laid out to make a laudable if ham-fisted point.

Rated: 2.5/4

Sep 15, 2023

Full Review

Beatrice Loayza

New York Times

It’s too bad the filmmakers seem to think that the bigger the spectacle, the more powerfully communicated this whirlwind of politics and emotions. The opposite is the case.

Sep 14, 2023

Full Review

Phuong Le

Guardian

Didacticism aside, the deft juxtaposition of the different forms of violence – Kamal’s physical deterioration on the frontline and Nassim’s psychological changes – hits home hard.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 10, 2023

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Rebel is a gripping story about a family torn apart by political extremism. Although this 135-minute drama is a little too long and needed tighter film editing, the story and performances are worth watching.

Nov 7, 2023

Full Review

Alci Rengifo

Entertainment Voice

Rebel is something else, a film that is riveting through its powerful dimensions. There is a poetic approach to the way its sections are divided into the equivalent of cantos.

Sep 29, 2023

Full Review

Leo Brady

AMovieGuy.com

Rebel will be a difficult watch for many, as it’s not uplifting or easy, but it is some of the best directing you will see in 2023.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 22, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

Such a powerful movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/21/25

Full Review

Wael A

As a witness! I aprove of this masterpeice .

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Adil El Arbi

Director

Bilall Fallah

Director

Amir El Arbi

Nassim Wasaki

Aboubakr Bensaihi

Kamal Wasaki

Lubna Azabal

Leila Wasaki

Tara Abboud

Noor

Plaza Catedral

100%

77%

Plaza Catedral

Watchlist

County Lines

96%

75%

County Lines

Watchlist

A Bluebird in My Heart

86%

66%

A Bluebird in My Heart

Watchlist

Nobody's Hero

65%

%

Nobody's Hero

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

When Kamal resolves to change his life for the better, he leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. But, having arrived, he is forced to join a militia and is left stranded in Raqqa. Back home, his younger brother Nassim quickly becomes easy prey for radical recruiters, who promise to reunite him with his brother. Their mother, Leila, fights to protect the only thing she has left: her youngest son.

Director: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah
Producer: Bert Hamelinck, Dimitri Verbeeck
Screenwriter: Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Jan Van Dyck, Kevin Meul, Amir El Arbi
Distributor: Yellow Veil Pictures
Production Co: Imaginarium Films, Caviar Films, Beluga Tree, Calach Films, Le Collectif 64
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 15, 2023, Limited
Runtime: 2h 13m

Most Popular at Home Now