Boaz Yakin

A graphic novel based on the stories and recollections of Boaz Yakin's father, [Jerusalem] is the story of both a family and the city itself. The book begins in April 1945 and ends in June 1948 after the second cease fire in the Arab-Israeli War, about a month after the establishment of the state of Israel. The heavy black-lined drawings amplify the mood of the book. From protests over the White Papers to sabotage of the British forces and atrocities committed by both the Jews and Arabs, the show more action is violent and often chaotic.

The Yakin family has been fictionized into the Halaby family. The three oldest boys all fight for different factions: Avraham is a communist and doesn't want to fight in Israel, after fighting in the Palestine Regiment under the British in WWII; David fights in Europe and helps countless Jews escape to Palestine, then joins the Palmach; Ezra fights both the British and the Arabs in the paramilitary Irgun. Young Motti is a hoodlum always in fights until he joins the theatre.

If it sounds confusing, it is, but I think that is one of the points of the book: it was a confusing time in history, with no one completely right or wrong and atrocities committed by everyone involved, including the British. No one is a winner and tragedy abounds. The book helped me better understand how those tumultuous years could divide and scar a family, as well as the city at large. show less

The inexplicably tone-deaf casting aside (why is a mostly Caucasian American doing a British accent to play a Persian commoner turned prince?), this film is unfairly maligned. The visuals are quite lovely. The plot is rather nimble for its simplicity, and manages to keep a good pace while never being overly predictable (though it gets a bit too close at times). The action sequences, particularly the title character's acrobatics, are fun and give a different flair from most films of this show more type. And while the dialogue is nothing to write home about, the cast is largely good enough to make it work. Particularly, Alfred Molina is a delight, with him, the script and the director even managing to bring unexpected levels of emotional depth to his recurring line in its satisfyingly predictable (always a neat trick when you can pull it off) final iteration. show less

Very powerful, tense story that gives a glimpse of the violence and the complexity around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the 1940s. Within one family, one finds secular and observant Jews, communists and Zionists, poor and wealthy, and all around them, allies and enemies, colonizers and colonized, British and Arabs. There is a Biblical feel to the story of brothers set against one another, which at times errs on the side of excess. The narrative could have used some breathing space; show more there are a lot of threads to follow. I would also have liked for the Arab characters to be featured more meaningfully in the story; they are not fleshed out nearly as much as the Jewish characters. Overall though, a gripping tale offering an intimate perspective on historical events that changed the geopolitical face of the Middle East. show less

A visually interesting movie with quality actors and acting. However, the story is weak, with weak elements in combination with weak storytelling. The story includes many twists and turns and "surprises" that aren't that interesting. A lot of the conversations are grandstanding, showing off, one-upmanship. Some mystical elements are mentioned that have nothing to do with anything. A romance is sort of thrown in (an almost kiss, then later a kiss) with no basis for a personal relationship or show more connection of the characters. An "adventure" without meaning.
— Rebecca show less