Haifaa al-Mansour’s ‘Unidentified’ Reviewed as Dull Murder Mystery
6 reported
Variety reports that Haifaa al-Mansour’s murder mystery “Unidentified” is an unfortunate misfire, according to a review. The film follows Nawal, a divorced police secretary in her late twenties working at a station in northern Riyadh, who investigates the death of a teenage girl. Nawal, played by Mila al-Zahrani, uses her keen eye for details like the girl’s manicure and embroidery on her abaya to discern clues overlooked by male colleagues. The film gradually shows Nawal skirting job limits to conduct her own investigation, facing resistance from affluent individuals who want to keep the disappearance quiet. The review notes that the film’s execution is ineffectual, with a withdrawn aesthetic approach and a bizarre third-act twist that renders its central themes moot. The film is described as interminably dull, with a haphazard narrative and emotional effects that are never discovered.
What’s reported
“Unidentified” is a murder mystery directed by Haifaa al-Mansour, who directed the 2012 film “Wadjda,” the first feature shot entirely in Saudi Arabia and the first Saudi film by a woman.
The protagonist Nawal, played by Mila al-Zahrani, is a divorced police secretary in her late twenties at a police station in northern Riyadh.
Nawal investigates the death of a teenage girl, discerning clues from details like the girl’s manicure and embroidery on her abaya.
The film was co-written by Brad Niemann and edited by Rafael Nur and Steve Cohen.
The review states the film’s execution is ineffectual, both overstated and under-dramatized, with a bizarre third-act twist.
The film is described as interminably dull in visual construction and narrative swerves.
Key figures
Haifaa al-Mansour: director of “Unidentified”
Mila al-Zahrani: actress playing Nawal
Shafi al-Harthi: actor playing commanding officer Majid
Brad Niemann: co-writer
Rafael Nur: editor
Steve Cohen: editor
Sources: Variety
