A One Mann’s Movies review of “Sirât” (From the 2025 London Film Festival). (2025, 4.5*, ’15’).
As an opening title proclaims, the Sirât Bridge in Islam is the bridge between Hell and Paradise that all Muslims must cross: as wiki describes “As-Sirāt is said to be thinner than a strand of hair and as sharp as the sharpest knife or sword (because of its danger).”
It’s an apt title for a film that I really didn’t expect to go where it went! A film that carries some of the biggest “WTF!” twists I’ve seen in 2025!
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
A father, accompanied by his son, goes looking for his missing daughter in North Africa..
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (The film has not yet been rated by the BBFC but I would expect it to be a ’15’ for language and scenes of violence.)
Talent:
Starring: Sergi López, Bruno Núñez Arjona, Stefania Gadda, Joshua Liam Herderson.
Directed by: Oliver Laxe.
Written by: Santiago Fillol & Oliver Laxe.
Running Time: 1h 55m.
Summary:
Positives:
- A gripping tale that works on multiple different allegorical levels.
- A strong and believable cast composed of actors and non-actors alike.
- Superb cinematography
- (For those who like it) some banging house music on the soundtrack.
Negatives:
- Harrowing and overly-brutal at times.
- A finale which might make some viewers feel cheated.
Full Review of “Sirât”:
Astonishing opening.
Oliver Laxe gives us a truly memorable opening to the film. An illegal rave is being held, deep in the deserts of Morocco and the opening sees a wall of speakers being assembled that ultimately beat out house-music to nature’s own wall of ochre-coloured sandstone cliffs as the sun rises on them. Like… wow… my hat comes off immediately to cinematographer Mauro Herce (who doesn’t disappoint with the rest of the film).
The rave ensues and my ear drums were assaulted for a good 10 minutes as we see a crowd of dancers losing themselves in the music. (At one point in the film our protagonist Luis (Sergi López) comments that the speakers “all sound noisy to me”. Steff (Stefania Gadda) replies “It’s not for hearing… it’s for dancing”. I’m afraid I’m with Luis on this one!) This sequence is brilliantly filmed – we get glimpses of the film’s players, although at that time we don’t know it = but it over-stayed its welcome for me by a few minutes. Lovers of this type of music will no doubt appreciate the banging soundtrack by Kangding Ray.
In search of Mar.
The plot is revealed: Luis together with his son Esteban (a beautifully nuanced performance by Bruno Núñez Arjona) are in Morocco to search for his daughter/sister Mar. They have heard she is going to be at a rave and scour the attendees looking for her and handing out leaflets with her picture. But the Moroccan army intervene and shut down the rave. Luis, at Esteban’s insistence, makes a rash decision to head off into the wild desert following the motley crew of Steff, Josh (Joshua Liam Herderson), Bigui (Richard ‘Bigui’ Bellamy), Tonin (Tonin Janvier) and Jade (Jade Oukid) who are heading for another planned rave on the Mauritanian border.
A different type of society.
This section of the film is really engaging. We hear on the news that the world is on a serious war-footing, but this motley band of anarchic, off-grid people effectively have formed their own micro-society. Away from the world, why does any of that matter? Luis and Esteban are initially treated as a massive annoyance, but the drama cleverly shows how they are slowly welcomed into the community and Luis, slowly, lets down his own defences to become a part of this extended ‘family’.
As the caravan heads off over the flat and featureless desert, I was reminded of “Mad Max”…. if George Miller was working on a very low budget!
Ice Cold in Alex.
Of course, while the experienced desert travellers are in massive four-wheel drive trucks, Luis and Esteban are in a small camper van, completely unsuitable for the desert conditions. If this was a rental, I only hope Luis took out the full rental company insurance… for this poor vehicle is smashed, soaked and baked in unimaginable ways!
I was suddenly reminded of that old Sunday-afternoon stalwart “Ice Cold in Alex”, starring John Mills, as the square-jawed British army officer trying to manhandle a truck and his own motley crew across the Sahara desert. Here we proceed up into the devastatingly beautiful, but terrifying, Atlas mountains and the film has the same sort of feel… a bit of a ‘Boy’s Own’ adventure movie. That’s until the tone dramatically shifts again.
Like… Seriously… WTF???
This film has twists. Like, SERIOUS twists, with two in particular being MASSIVE. And I obviously won’t spoil them. But when they happen they were, for me, the biggest “WTF?” moments in cinema so far in 2025. And I’ve seen a lot of films.
The film descends into a completely different genre in its last reel. One that is gruelling and traumatic and leaves you feeling thoroughly wrung-out. Whilst I loved where the film went, it does to a degree fail to complete any expected story arc. This will probably leave some mainstream audiences feeling cheated…. this not being the show for the ticket they emotionally purchased.
Triggers:
This is a pretty emotionally gruelling journey as you might tell from my review. But as a specific, and I know this sort of thing can ruin some people’s whole week, this is a film which will earn an honourable mention on the web site doesthedogdie.com.
Summary Thoughts:
One of the highlights of my pre-LFF week so far. A film that left me feeling numb and a bit traumatised. But any cinema that really makes you FEEL has to be a good thing in my book.
Tickets for the London Film Festival showings on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th are currently sold out, but here is the booking web site to check for returns or other showings.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HvwhOY63Ig.
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