Al-risâlah

(Based on the English version).

A highly ambitious film, capturing the life of Muhammad. Due to the nature of the subject, director Moustapha Akkad had to thread his way between many restrictions. Not only did the film have to be accurate in its depiction of Muhammad, as anything short of this would be sacrilegious, but, in order to reach a wider audience, it had to appeal to non-Muslims too. Furthermore, his main character could not be shown at all!

Despite these requirements and limitations, Akkad ultimately made a fine movie. Epic in scale, lavish in production and engaging in plot. It clocks in at a touch under three hours but doesn't feel like it, it moves along so smoothly.

Akkad gets around the inability to show Muhammad through some clever devices, often concentrating on his senior aides rather than the man himself, and when he does have to have him present, doing it from a first person perspective. Not as engaging as if we actually had the main character visible, but I can't think of a better way he could have made the film, given that restriction.

As a person who does not know much about the history of Muhammad and Islam, quite edifying.

Good cinematography and battle scenes. Decent performances too.

The Movie Was Great For Almost 4 Hours I Didn't Feel The Time At All, The Fights sections Was So Good At That Even Now After 4 Decades I Still Watch Them, The Movie Was About Some Of Prophet Mohammed(Peace Be Upon Him) Stories, Director Mustafa AL Akkad Tried To Give Us The Very Most Important Things That Happen In The Prophet Life, I Really Hop Some Someone Else Will Make A Great Movie Like This Talking About The Prophet Stories.

The film directed and produced the best director in the history of Arab cinema, where he gave us a wonderful masterpiece, which is not understood by the world about the Arabs and Muslims for this I recommend watching even non-Muslims, It is indeed the best film in the history of Arab cinema.

Chronicling the life & times of the founder of Islam, The Message is crafted in accordance with the religious beliefs & sensibilities when it comes to the depiction of the prophet who is neither seen nor heard but the story as a whole also serves as an informative historical account of the depicted era. A welcome introduction to the early history of Islamic faith, this 3½ hour religious epic is better than its English-language version.

Directed by Moustapha Akkad, the story covers how the religion originated, the persecution & exodus that followed and the final victory that paved way for Islam's future while establishing Mecca as the hub of the Muslim world. The film touches on the core teachings of Islam which isn't much different from other creeds. For an epic, it has the scope & scale but not the visual eye or cinematic flourish to realise it or make it appealing.

Despite being 30 mins longer than its English counterpart, the picture fares better in almost all aspects. It has better narrative flow, better pacing, plus the Arabic language lends authenticity of its own to the depicted setting, culture & lifestyle. Even the actors fit their roles better in this one. However, the issues I had with the other version are more or less present here too and the simplicity with which conflicts are resolved are at times facepalm-inducing.

Overall, The Message offers an easy enough understanding of Islam to acquaint everyone with its values & teachings but its simple-minded approach won't satisfy all. Still, for what it's worth, the film succeeds in bestowing the outside cultures an essential insight into the Islamic world & its origins, the guiding principles it operates on, and the legacy it has left behind in the modern world as evident in the closing moments. In short, an illuminating epic that's worth a shot.

I am biased.. I am Muslim but to be fair from prospective of art this film hits all the aspects of masterpiece