Esaaf

Two stars for the director and their team only.

The movie was honestly just a waste of time.

No story.

No exciting events.

Zero comedy.

Dear Ibrahim Al Hajjaj, you're a talented actor, but you really need to diversify your roles a little. It doesn't make sense that your character in this movie feels exactly the same as in your previous works!!

Especially the school scene-I didn't even smile.

Thank God I watched it on Netflix and not in the cinema 😂

Aside from the movie itself, Ibrahim, you should step out of the comedy bubble. Try leaning a bit towards drama-I'm sure you'd shine in it. Look at the most famous comedians like Steve Carell and Jim Carrey, they diversified their roles and amazed us.

Can you imagine? Two hours, and I don't think I laughed even once!! The movie was so long it felt like I was watching it for an entire day.

At minute 23:58 the voice-over was so obvious. Was it really that hard to reshoot the scene? 😂

And the weirdest part-the movie was full of ads! I didn't get it at all. Hello?? Study marketing, because what I learned is totally different from what you did in this film. You don't need to literally say the brand name 98,472,72 times-you can just show it without mentioning it.

In the end, I think if it were a Ramadan series, maybe it could've worked-but of course, with a completely different script.

I keep cringing in every seen it's unbearable, It's just not how a saudi guy normally is and it shows the citizen as someone who's stupid and silly and have no motive but to get married, And lies every second or so to get what he/she wants... when most of us Saudis are overqualified for our jobs whatever it is (even a cashier) and more sophisticated even when joking and rarely think of lying to other people for whatever reason.

I just didn't feel anything that feels like it's filmed in my country except where it was actually filmed because I know the places very well and it's such a disgrace.

We'll have better movies than this one IsA.

This movie was absolutely fantastic and far exceeded my expectations.

I initially thought it would be a light, simple comedy-but it turned out to be so much more. It's a genuinely funny film, but at the same time, it's clear that a lot of thought, effort, and passion went into every part of it.

The writing, the performances, the direction-all of it came together in a way that shows real dedication and talent.

It wasn't just entertaining, it was impressive on a technical and creative level.

As a Saudi production, I truly see it as a brilliant achievement and a standout example of what the local film industry is capable of.

Huge thanks and appreciation to everyone who worked on bringing this amazing project to life.

3/10; and those 3 points are purely a courtesy to the Saudi cast.

With all the massive investment and support from the Saudi government to boost the film industry, you'd think we'd finally move past the Tash Ma Tash era. But no, Esaaf clings to the same tired jokes, awkward pacing, and recycled plotlines like it's 2003 and we're still waiting for dial-up to connect.

Even the poster looks like it was thrown together in a rush... possibly using Microsoft Paint and deep regret. It's as if no one in the production team asked, "Hey, should this movie actually look appealing?"

In an age where Saudi cinema is poised to shine on global stages, Esaaf reminds us that you can hand someone a state-of-the-art film studio, but you can't make them write a decent story.

From the very first scene, Esaaf sets the tone for what's to come. Six minutes of complete chaos, filled with one silly joke after another. It felt more like forced clowning than genuine comedy, and honestly, I was tempted to stop watching right there. Still, I decided to give the film a fair chance and continued to the end.

After finishing the movie, I can say that I genuinely appreciate the efforts of the supporting cast and crew. Most of the actors delivered solid performances and carried their roles well. However, the lead actor stood out for the wrong reasons. His portrayal felt exaggerated, improvised, and disconnected from the tone the movie seemed to aim for. Instead of creating a comedic character, it felt like he was experimenting on-screen without direction, which only added to the awkwardness.

Now, let's talk about the core issue. Comedy, at its best, is intelligent. It relies on timing, wit, and subtlety, it can make you laugh while also engaging your mind. There's situational comedy, character-driven humor, satire, and many other styles that succeed because they respect the audience's intelligence. Unfortunately, Esaaf leans heavily on repetitive slapstick and over the top antics, mistaking loud, exaggerated reactions for genuine humor. The result feels less like clever comedy and more like a collection of disjointed, shallow gags strung together without purpose.

What makes this frustrating is that the movie could have been much better. There were glimpses of potential in some of the supporting performances, in certain scenarios, and even in the technical production quality. But the lack of a strong comedic vision, combined with poorly written jokes and improvised acting, undermined any chance of turning those moments into something memorable.

By the end, I was left with the feeling that Esaaf wanted to be funny but didn't understand how to be funny. Instead of crafting clever situations or relatable humor, it relied on clowning and while that might entertain a very specific audience, it fails to deliver a balanced, meaningful comedic experience for the majority of viewers.

P. S. I have to give credit where it's due: Hassan Asiri actually made me laugh for the first time watching him.