Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dull action movie has mixed messages on faith.
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Infidel
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
Parents say this film presents an intense and thought-provoking narrative that explores themes of religious intolerance and the struggles faced by Christians in different parts of the world. While some viewers found it a valuable discussion piece for older teens, others expressed concerns about its appropriateness for younger audiences and the film's portrayal of faith-related issues.
- intense themes
- religious intolerance
- good discussion piece
- not for young kids
- valuable message
- eye-opening
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 2 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In INFIDEL, Doug Rawlins (Jim Caviezel) is a journalist and blogger who specializes in writing about Christianity. He and his wife, State Department official Liz (Claudia Karvan), are invited to a graduation celebration honoring Meena (Noor Taher), the daughter of Doug's friend and colleague Javid (Aly Kassem). Later, the couple receives a call: Meena has disappeared. The police investigate, and discover a downstairs room in her home that's filled with extremist Islamic propaganda; Javid is arrested. Then Doug is invited to speak on a TV program in Cairo. While there, he makes some controversial remarks. Back at his hotel, he's kidnapped and taken to Tehran, where tormentor Ramzi (Hal Ozsan) forces him to write in his blog. Meanwhile, Liz tries to use her government connections to rescue her husband but finds that she's on her own.
Is It Any Good?
This "inspired by true events" drama is presented in a blandly impersonal, uninspired manner, with wobbly, uneven filmmaking, a dull lead character, and a mixed collection of messages about faith. Doug remains rather flat throughout, and when he's kidnapped, it could be for either of two possible reasons, rather than one strong reason. Perhaps writer-director Cyrus Nowrasteh intended to use one of these reasons as a red herring, but instead Doug's controversial TV interview just ends up hanging there for apparently no reason. Meanwhile, the movie occasionally seems to be open to exploring different kinds of faiths and beliefs, but it always pulls back and returns to Doug's faith being the "correct" one; he even gets to "forgive" his tormentor/kidnapper at one point.
Perhaps because of this character flaw, Doug's relationship with Liz -- who renounced her faith after losing her unborn baby in a car accident -- isn't explored very deeply. How do they communicate or connect with each other when they have such different value systems? But Liz is a crackerjack character, and Karvan plays her with plenty of vibrant gusto. Ozsan's kidnapper/tormentor, Ramzi, is also interesting and amusing. Infidel briefly comes alive when these characters are driving the scene, but then the filmmaking flaws come in to stall things once again. The camera drifts and shambles uneasily, and the seemingly random cuts are both jarring and rhythmically monotonous.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Infidel's violence. How much is shown, and how much is suggested? How did each kind of sequence make you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
How are different beliefs and faiths shown in the film? Are they represented equally? What do you think makes people argue and fight over faith?
What's the significance of Liz renouncing her own faith? Does it change the way she relates to her husband? Does it change the way he relates to her?
Is Liz a strong role model? If so, how?
Is Ramzi an interesting character, even though he's the villain? Why are some villains in stories actually kind of fun to watch?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 18, 2020
- On DVD or streaming : December 15, 2020
- Cast : Jim Caviezel , Claudia Karvan , Hal Ozsan
- Director : Cyrus Nowrasteh
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African Movie Director(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Cloudburst Entertainment
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 107 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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