You wake up and it’s the apocalypse. Clean water is running out but there’s no shortage of evil around you. What do you do? Do you protect your clan at all costs? Or do you kill anyone who stands in your way?
The good news is that you don’t need answers. Emirati thriller The Worthy has them prepared for you. The region’s goriest survival flick — and the first Arabic film to be screened in 4DX — will hit cinemas across the UAE on February 23.
WHAT IS THE WORTHY?
Ali Mustafa’s latest offering is a pan-Arabian, Walking Dead-esque popcorn flick set in the middle of nowhere. It follows a tight-knit group of apocalypse survivors whose lives are threatened by the unexpected arrival of intruders.
Here are five facts to know about the film before its release, courtesy of Mustafa and his fresh-faced cast, who spoke to Gulf News tabloid! in December during Dubai International Film Festival.
THE HERO OF THE FILM LANDED THE ROLE BY MISTAKE
Lead actor Mahmoud Al Atrash, who plays the central protagonist Eissa, landed his role by a total fluke. The 25-year-old Jordanian had never acted before. One day he received a call from a director who mistook him for someone else, and though Al Atrash wasn’t his guy, he auditioned anyway. Mustafa was blown away by the result.
“The first time he was ever in front of a camera, let alone act, was in the audition. For him to have that strong role, to really lead the film from start to finish and grab everyone’s attention, it was a really proud moment,” said Mustafa.
Al Atrash was aptly emotional watching himself back for the first time.
“When I saw myself on the screen and that my dream had come true, I teared up. I can’t say much more than that,” he said.
MUSTAFA’S BROTHER WAS CAST IN THE FILM… BUT AUDITIONED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE
Ali’s younger brother Mohammad Mustafa played the role of Daoud, and though it was Ali who pushed him to audition, it was the producers who decided to cast him.
Mohammad, a former footballer, had been appearing in Ali’s home movies since the age of four. But when it came time for the big leagues (i.e. his cinematic debut), he didn’t get any special treatment.
“It wasn’t like because I was his brother I got to do this and that. Actually, I think it was more of the opposite — I couldn’t do certain things,” said Mohammad, laughing.
Ali’s advice for him? “To be very comfortable. He always told me, ‘It’s in the eyes. Stop thinking so much about the character, just be it.’”
THE MOVIE’S PREMISE IS TERRIFYING, BUT COULD BE CLOSER THAN EVER
Contaminated water is an urgent struggle for people around the world, which makes The Worthy’s premise — a literal fight-to-the-death for drinking water — more relevant.
Mustafa said the film was originally presented to him as a gory horror film and became more of an action-thriller, but its plausibility is what appealed to him.
“The post-apocalyptic side is what really attracted me. This is something that could really happen,” said Mustafa. “If there was no water, what would you do? Would you kill?”
People take a simple glass of water for granted, agreed Al Atrash.
“But if a terrorist organisation were to come up and contaminate our water sources, then people would truly die of thirst. It makes you think,” he added.
Actor Samir Esmail, who plays antagonist Moussa, echoed his co-star’s sentiments.
“I live in Syria, one of the most war-torn places in the world… There are a lot of places on this planet where people are dying needlessly, which is disturbing and depressing to think about. So I think that yes, it’s possible for this scenario to occur — and I’ve lived it, to a certain extent,” he said.
FIRST-TIME CINEMA STAR SAMIR ESMAIL STOLE THE SHOW AS THE DERANGED VILLAIN
Though it was Esmail’s first time acting on the big screen, he’d done television shows before, and last year, he was named one of five Arab Stars of Tomorrow.
Esmail knocked the ball out of the park with his performance of Moussa, a cruel man who didn’t have many (if any) redeeming qualities.
“He’s someone who’s completely wiped morals and human emotions from his life. He behaves like a robot, specifically when it comes to killing people,” said Esmail.
“I created a whole backstory for him in my mind, something that was unwritten, about how he got to this point. His motivation? He just wants to be the best at what he does.”
THE CAST HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE SHOOTING HALF THE TIME
Because the film is heavy on special effects and post-production, the actors would often do their scenes in front of blue and green screens, with minimal clues as to how it would all come together.
Palestinian actress Maisa Abdul Hadi, who plays Gulbin, said that she was amazed watching the finished project.
“Even though I was in the film and read the script, I was really surprised. I was so into it — I was even getting nervous for the characters,” she said.
Rakeen Sa’ad, the Jordanian actress who plays Eissa’s sister Maryam (and who performs a heart-stopping balancing act towards the end of the film) felt the same.
“When you watch it, it’s totally different. Our adrenaline was so high — we’d been working on it for so long, and then it’s finally out. Truly, we were amazed by it. It’s not typical to find a movie like this in the Arab world,” she said.
Mohammad added that, on set, the cast didn’t get many opportunities to watch their scenes played back from the director’s chair — a deliberate move on his brother’s behalf.
“Ali purposely didn’t want us to see ourselves. He said, ‘You do your job, just do it and don’t bother about how you look.’”
Don’t miss it!
The Worthy releases in the UAE on February 23.
