hqahtani

Even though the film has some great cinematography, the individuals interviewed are generally very one-dimensional, and do not really reflect the diversity of Turkish culture (i.e., people other than middle/upper-class liberals).

The affection for cats in Turkish culture can be traced back to the Ottoman days, and even before that to Islam. People who could have spoke on these issues, many of whom are also probably cat lovers, were not included — likely because of the filmmakers' own biases.

The end result is a film that is pretty, but generally uninteresting. After waiting over a year to see it, I was fairly disappointed.

There are many people who have unrealistic expectations for a sequel, remake, or reboot. In some cases, perhaps they fell in love so deeply with the original that no film could impress them equally, or near equally. There are also cases where a film may have a low rating but be horribly good, or just misunderstood. Let me assure anyone who reads this that neither of these scenarios apply to this film. It is just unequivocally BAD, and this is one case where everyone is RIGHT.

However, you may have appreciated the genius of the 1962 version to such an extent that you're willing to take the risk. That was my case. Here is what the 1998 version has in common with the 1962 film: a girl crashing into water, the same girl having what appears to be some psychotic breakdown, and a girl who eventually realizes that she has died. On the surface those appear to be similar enough to make this interesting, but it simply ISN'T. The acting is one level above bad, the characters are simply uninteresting, and the plot is convoluted. On the other hand, the brilliance of the original was in its dead simple, incredibly effective, no-frills execution that seemed unlike anything before or, to some extent, after it.

Here is my genuine advice. Most people probably started with the black and white 1962 release. If you're really yearning for a new take on the film watch the colorized version of it rather than this; it will be more fulfilling. Whereas the original had me captivated from start to finish, I fell asleep on two separate occasions while trying to finish this (no matter how bad a movie is, I generally see it through to the end).

If you've seen both the color and black and white release of the original, then simply watch one of them again. Go read a book. Slam your head against a wall. Really, pretty much anything is more stimulating than watching this.

Like Fetih 1453, this film about Said Nursi, one of the 20th century's greatest Muslim leaders and thinkers, symbolizes the reawakening that Turkey has been experiencing in recent years: namely, that its historical greatness is rooted not only in morality, but also in the unconventional THINKING that it spawned. The film exposes the hypocrisy of so-called progressives whose idea of advancement comprises nothing more than mimicking contemporary superpowers; faux-liberals who smash anything that threatens the mediocrity and underachievement that typifies their rule and existence.

While Muslims around the world celebrate and remember Said Nursi, no one remembers nor celebrates his oppressors; and no one (outside of Turkey, for certain) celebrates nor remembers the specter whose photo hangs above their hollow heads until this day. The tactics the Turkish government employed against the sheikh are no different than what we see happening against President Morsi and the Muslim Brothers in Egypt today.