User Reviews

Saw this back at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival

This documentary is about the Guantanamo detainees who are released into a year long program of de-radicalization in Saudi Arabia, with the eventual goal of finding jobs and starting families. The Guantanamo, 9/11 and Islamic culture has been a big thing during the early 2000s as it had changed the world of the United States and Middle Eastern culture between the two. This documentary is a very interesting and well informed story about extremists who are going through rehab. The presentation and music soundtrack is really good and felts the narrative tone. Surprisingly, there were some animation sequences to describe events that would be difficult to reenact and the animations were very appropriate.

The interviews are pretty impressive and also pretty scary at times. Because the participants being interviewed are either very genuine about their beliefs, some are obviously manipulative and some responses were really chilling and disturbing. Director Meg Smaker really does a great job on exploring the clash between the two cultures and how it affects the two populations. Especially for something to be this serious isn't easy to do. The editing choices are purposeful. Although the music does get really preachy at times, it fits the tone perfectly. The pacing does need some improvement and my biggest complain is that Smaker didn't really reveal certain important aspects that I was wishing that she was going to provide. Like if there was two points that could have been mentioned. I am not a war person or political kind but I feel like something was missing.

Although it's flaws, it's an interesting watch that I would recommend. I don't understand what the other reviewer meant by this movie being clueless tho. Because it isn't clueless.

Rating: B+

This is a touchy subject no doubt but the filmmakers did an excellent job in being sensitive while also being thought provoking. It doesn't take sides or seem biased. Detractors seem to have a big problem that it was even made. As if you can just shut the door to the past and ignore it. The American authorities thought they were righteous but they were corrupt and undeniably made things worse by their actions in their war on terror. This film shows the consequences of those actions on the individuals who faced American debauchery. Some might have offended here. Others did not. The audience is left with hope in the end.

I don't see the controversy here whatsoever. It truly is a film that people should see and let the movie speak for itself. I promise most people who are jumping on the controversy bandwagon haven't seen the film. In a world of division where people refuse to dialogue, such as the topic of the film, not calling people monsters without trying to understand them, just watch the film and decide for yourself. There's a lot of power to this film.

I have actually watched this film, 'Jihad Rehab', wondering how many of the negative commenters have? IF you had watched it, you would know Meg has named the film as such, due to the program in Saudi Arabia that all Yemeni from Guantanamo must attend. A decision quite far out of Megs hands. Meg on the other hand, she spent her time, energy to get to know these men, she sees as people, not Jihadist. She spent countless hours listening to portraying the horrors they faced and those who continue to face at Gauntanamo Bay. She never once accused or portrayed these men for anything but simple, loving men that were mostly mere teenagers when locked up for an astounding 16 years on average without prosecution at Guantanamo. She is trying to bring awareness to the fact that these men, are now men stuck in a unrelenting situation. Where they can not leave Saudi Arabia, nor are they allowed to work in the sovereign state. If you would watch the film, maybe you would see it for what it is. I wonder if the negative commenters even understand they are doing these men a bigger injustice by "canceling" the only film that could possibly bring enough awareness to free these men from what one especially sweet man named Nadir explained of himself, "being worse then a nothing, being a zero".

The film is absolutely amazing, and the director is a hero. The critics are spineless, weak human beings with zero logic to their arguments, just raw hedonistic, simian emotion.

The documentary attempts to give a perspective of the world that would benefit the world. We would all be better off if we thought like this, showed empathy and understanding, and made attempts to understand one another instead of giving into to cancel culture, being offended, and being weak and afraid.

This film should be seen as a centerpiece for how to lead the world and do what is right, and not give into threats from little, sad people.

This film is gripping. It makes you reflect on the origins of violent atrocities, the outcomes of trauma, what it means to have a possibility of a second chance in life, and ultimately how the parts of us that are human - good and bad - connect us all.

I was lucky to be at the original showing at the Laemmle in Glendale CA for a Q&A with the director. She is as insightful and sincere as the film. She commented that her wish for the audience was to have even the slightest broader perspective. The picture painted of the "war on terror" is black and white, when in reality it is very complicated.

Go see it!! You will leave with what was her wish for the audience - a new and broader perspective.

Fantastic documentary on the difficulties the world faces with the conflict between cultures. The film does a great job explaining how these individuals ended up in Guantanamo Bay and the challenges they and the world have reentering them into society.

The former Guantanamo detainees profiled in this film guardedly share their life experiences in this amazing film. I haven't seen anything close to this portrayal in other films or interviews. Because much of the film is direct dialog with the detainees going through this rehabilitation program, there isn't room or need for much additional commentary from the film maker. The production value is surprisingly high for a low-budget film. In particular the animation is fantastic. I'd encourage anyone with an interest in understanding the mindset of "foot soldiers" involved in Al Qaeda to watch this extraordinary film.

After hearing about the controversy surrounding this film I was interested in seeing it for myself. I was fortunate enough to see this film in London before Christmas, the director was even at the small theatre doing a Q&A after.

I was overwhelmed by the film, I found it a truly beautiful film filled with compassion. Absolutely none of the criticism appeared warranted, as I'm sure many will agree after viewing. The USA probably ends up portrayed in the least flattering light.

However, that's not to say the film is biased, I found it completely balanced and nuanced despite dealing with a challenging topic. The viewer is left to make up their own minds and the director doesn't appear to push an agenda significantly one way or another.

A truly fantastic documentary, I feel privileged to have seen it and I'm very excited for the rest of the world to finally get to see it for themselves.

Anyone that has criticised this film before even seeing it should be disappointed with themselves and if they do end up watching it, may feel a sense of embarrassment.

Post 9/11 Americans were told that the jihadists were monsters and inhuman - Abu Ghraib and Gitmo ensued. The movie tests our assumptions about how and why people do monstrous things.

The movie was made with remarkable access to a rehabilitation program in Saudi Arabia about four former jihadists. Audiences probably remember when Gitmo detainees were released to Saudi Arabia that the press cast doubt that jihadists could be rehabilitated. The movie asks a similar question but through the lives of the four jihadists.

The movie humanizes the men by showing how young they were when they were radicalized and headed to Afghanistan and other locations to wage the perverted jihad preached by mullahs.(America had a few who answered a similar call - see information about frank lindh's son ). But, through interviews and other engagement we learn how persons who have done monstrous things need not be monsters.

The movie dispels the slander that the movie is Saudi Arabian propaganda or that a white female filmmaker could not make a movie about Arab men. The movie is ultimately about truth - which any documentary should be.

I think that there is another documentary here - how the documentary field has been hijacked at times by activists who suppress expression rather than engage with it.