ZINZANA: RATTLE THE CAGE
United Arab Emirates/Jordan, 2015, 97 minutes, Colour.
Saleh Bakri, Ali Suliman, Omar Abdulhamid, Ahd, Mansoor Alfeeli,
Directed by Majid Al Ansari.
This is a drama thriller from the United Arab Emirates, sponsored by Abu Dabi but filmed in Jordan. In fact, locations are not important because all the action takes place in the one room in a police precinct, the open space of the office, with cells for the prisoners.
The plot is not immediately predictable. There is a prisoner in the cell, arrested for brawling, an alcoholic who was tried rehabilitation. In the adjacent cell is a man with whom he fought, who is to be released, and who is revealed as being the fiance of the alcoholic’s ex-wife. The other character at the beginning of the film is the official supervising.
There is quite a sudden turn of events when a mysterious police official arrives, eccentric in his manner, but also threatening, who kills the supervisor, torments the prisoner, forces his wife to come to the prison and menaces her, is all charm to the rather large and ambitious policewoman who arrives for the day’s work, but has a plan for promotion.
Ultimately, the plot is really straightforward because the false policeman is organising the escape from prison of his younger brother – whom he also taunts, urging him to shoot the alcoholic.
There are some variations on the theme that keep audience attention apart from a certain fascination with the two characters and their interplay. And, as always, there is also the interest of how tables might be turned which, in this case, they are.
Audiences might be reminded of Guy Pearce as they look at the alcoholic character – which does suggest that this could be quite effectively remade in the US or Britain.
1. A thriller from the United Arab Emirates? The cultural background?
2. The action all taking place in the one room, the space for the official, desk, cupboards, adjacent rooms, the cells and the bars? The musical score?
3. The credibility of the plot, the prisoners, the impersonation, the killings, the plan for release, the interactions of the characters? The twists and ingenuity of turning tables?
4. The focus on the prisoner, gradually learning of his background, his marriage, love for his wife, his drinking, the separation, attempted rehabilitation, his concern for his son? His brawling with his ex-wife’s fiance? Their being in prison? His interactions with the guard, conversations, the phone call? The night? The indication of dreams and nightmares?
5. The arrival of the officer, his style, manner, the blend of madness, showing off? His continued talk, melodrama? Killing the guard and stowing his body? The threats to the prisoner, their discussions, the taunts, the phone call, using the prisoner’s wife and her turning up? Threats? The woman arriving for her work, her IT studies, wanting to please, large, a genial manner, doing whatever was asked her, buying meals, the out of order sign for the toilet…?
6. The prisoner, seeming hopelessness, getting the cigarette from the woman, setting the clothes alight? His reaching for the phone, alerting the police, their ringing back, the failure of this plan? The arrival of the fiance, his curiosity, the prisoner trying to warn him, his being killed?
7. The arrival of his son, the bond between father and son, the official and his threat, the son in the cell? The wife arriving?
8. The purpose of the raid, the brother being released, urge to shoot, his not being able to?
9. The fulfilment of the mission, the official and his gun, the plea for the last drink, holding the alcohol, blowing it into the face of the official and the fire starting, the official shooting, wounding the prisoner? Getting the keys, collaborating with the boy, the official urging his brother to shoot, the prisoner shielding his wife and son, the brother saying that
he did not have the will to shoot, firing into his brother?
10. The tension, cat and mouse and tactics, violence and menace, survival?
