‘Eagles Of The Republic’ review: Tarik Saleh reunites with Fares Fares to end his Cairo trilogy

Dir/scr: Tarik Saleh. Sweden/France/Denmark. 2025. 128mins

The primary two instalments of Tarik Saleh’s politically-charged ‘Cairo trilogy’ have been despairing examinations of the corruption and paranoia coursing via Egyptian society. The author-director sharpens his knife for the ultimate chapter, which casts a harsh gentle on a principled actor pressured into making a movie for the regime, discovering how straightforward it’s to compromise his beliefs. Tauter than its predecessors, and brandishing a pointy sense of humour, Eagles Of The Republic reunites Saleh with Fares Fares, the lead within the earlier photos, to mock movie trade egos whereas delivering a chilling commentary a couple of tyrannical authorities which imposes its will each via media propaganda and lethal power.

 A darkly amusing have a look at a dysfunctional movie shoot which turns into a terse thriller 

The second movie within the trilogy, 2022’s Boy From Heaven (also called Cairo Conspiracy) additionally premiered in Cannes Competitors, the place it gained the Greatest Screenplay award, earlier than being chosen as Sweden’s official Oscar submission. (The primary chapter, 2017’s The Nile Hilton Incident, gained Sundance’s World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic.) This new instalment begins as a darkly amusing have a look at a dysfunctional movie shoot earlier than changing into a terse thriller — a provocative combination of genres that ought to entice patrons.

Fares performs George, an ageing famous person nicknamed ’Pharaoh of the Display’. Although privately important of present Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, he’s recruited by the federal government to play the chief in a fawning biopic known as ’The Will Of The Folks’. George desires no a part of this hagiography however, after Al-Sisi’s males threaten George’s college-aged son, he realises he has no alternative. (Viewers won’t be shocked to study that Saleh was ordered to go away Egypt in 2015 for being important to the regime, one thing that clearly continues right here.)

The trilogy’s earlier chapters have been extra easy thrillers, so Eagles Of The Republic’s preliminary satirical bent proves to be a welcome change of tempo. George could also be beloved, however Saleh and Fares don’t have any illusions about his failings. It’s clear this self-absorbed actor has been in his share of hacky photos, like a sci-fi/motion blockbuster hilariously titled The First Egyptian In House. Plus, he’s the kind of over-the-hill star who has a younger girlfriend, Donna (Lyna Khoudri), whom everyone assumes is his daughter. Quoting traces from his personal motion pictures when he’s making an attempt to be heartfelt, and making a run to the shop to purchase viagra to maintain up along with his frisky lover, George is an amusingly useless idiot.

Saleh additionally pokes enjoyable on the regime’s makes an attempt to make ’The Will Of The Folks’, particularly the producers’ want to render Al-Sisi as a good-looking, charismatic determine. (The actual president could also be bald, however George is instructed that he should maintain his lovely darkish hair.) However that comical skewering ultimately provides manner as soon as Eagles Of The Republic hints on the insidious nature of this pathetic mission. This comes via most forcefully within the mysterious man overseeing it, Dr. Manssour (Amr Waked), who calmly however menacingly informs George when he’s not portraying Al-Sisi to his satisfaction.

Fares is marvellous as George who, regardless of his objections to ’The Will Of The Folks’, decides to offer the movie his all. It’s an early indication of the character’s deadly flaw, which is his must be cherished – even when meaning burnishing Al-Sisi’s picture. George tries to make use of his newfound recognition among the many regime to assist pals who’re in its crosshairs — corresponding to his frequent co-star Rula (Cherien Dabis), who has been blacklisted. However as soon as George will get seduced by his proximity to energy, viewers might have issue figuring out whether or not his cheerful compliance is mostly a ruse.

Fares delivers a slicing portrait of wilful self-deception, giving us an empty vessel with no convictions who stupidly initiates a clandestine affair with Suzanne (Zineb Triki), the alluring spouse of Egypt’s minister of defence.

A lot of the artistic workforce return from earlier chapters, and Eagles Of The Republic advantages from their skilful work. Pierre Intention’s cinematography and Roger Rosenberg’s manufacturing design spotlight each the phoniness of film units and the lavish, sinister lairs the place Egypt’s callous leaders reside. And composer Alexandre Desplat, a newcomer to this trilogy, offers a subdued rating, properly underlining how George’s expertise echoes that of so many different would-be activists, who lose their backbone as soon as they’re invited right into a world of privilege and perks.