Omar: A Tale of Love and Loss in the West Bank
Since 1948, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been an ongoing saga of violence, brutality, and retribution which has encompassed the lives of thousands in the region. The movie Omar illustrates how an everyday man can be swept up in the conflict through being caught in a web of lies and love which all illustrate the human condition within a conflict zone.
A masterful work by director Hany Abu-Assad, Omar follows the titular character as he pursues his love, Nadia, and deals with not only the harassment of Israeli soldiers but also the consequences of his act of retribution and the love triangle that ensues. Tarek, Omar, and Amjad have been friends since childhood. Omar works as a baker but also plots with his friends against the occupying Israeli forces out of a desire for freedom and love for country. All of this comes to a head after Omar is harassed by Israeli soldiers after climbing the border wall one day to see Nadia. What follows is an act of retribution by the gang of three and a downward spiral of the fates of all four main characters as their lives are changed forever due to their ever intertwining and deepening relationships with each other and their loyalties.
The intrigue, betray, and despair which follow the four main characters illustrates the setting in which they are placed, the West Bank. Omar’s peculiar disposition, being stuck between his loyalties to Tarek, his country, and Nadia as well as his disposition with the Israeli security forces is extremely symbolic of how the conflict can sweep in anyone and everyone and make them a pawn of the desires of others through the desires of their own. The despair felt throughout whether it be through a loss of life or a loss of love illustrates the toll the conflict takes on the people of the West Bank in a traumatizing and memorable manner. The viewer is drawn into the web of lies and frustration and feels the hopelessness, hurt, and anger which can consume those stuck in such a treacherous and grim situation.
But those feelings and themes aren’t the only prevailing ones. A love for one’s country, for one’s friends, and for one’s significant other are also driving themes throughout the story. Love which both blinds the protagonist as well as aids him through the challenging times he faces drive the story. This love and the issues which arise due to it is described metaphorically through a hunter trapping a monkey using a cube of sugar in a hole, which the monkey will never let go even if it means trapping its fist because of its fixation on the cube. As much as despair and hardship are illustrated in the movie, the overwhelming power of love, whether for good or bad, is as central and more central to this ever-evolving tale of the life of Omar within the prison-like atmosphere of the West Bank.
These feelings and themes are brought to life by the excellent story telling of Abu-Assad and the incredible acting of the stars in this movie. The expert telling of this deep and meaningful tale of love and loss draws in the viewer and makes them empathize with the characters in a manner with which few pieces of cinema are able to obtain. The tell the intricate stories within the controversial backdrop, giving the audience a rarely seen perspective within the beautiful and moving story of Omar.
Omar keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat until the very end, leaving them feeling as Omar feels and wondering the entire time; who is the monkey and who is the hunter?