Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gripping docu shows real-life footage of ongoing Syrian war.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Last Men in Aleppo
What's the Story?
A Syrian director and crew follows The White Helmets for one year in LAST MEN IN ALEPPO. The group, funded by international humanitarian efforts, is a volunteer team of people who follow the bombings into the rubble to carry out as many rescues and save as many lives as they can. There's no context in this documentary -- no narration, no political statements -- just the act of heroes living and working in a city relentlessly besieged. Two of the rescuers are featured throughout. Khaled, a family man and one of the leaders of the rescue operation, is forced to balance the atrocities he witnesses with his commitment to his young daughters. Mahmoud worries about his brother, and in one particularly moving scene meets a little boy whose life he saved earlier in the conflict. Audiences learn only through the conversation of the men that the attacks are being perpetrated by the leader of Syria, Bashar Assad, and the Russian air force who supports him. Sequences of devastation are intercut with moments of quiet, in which the men attempt to normalize lives that have been engulfed by fear and death.
Is It Any Good?
There's so much about this documentary that merits attention; what is horrifying and sad is punctuated only by the heroism of its subjects and of the filmmakers themselves. Under the dubious auspices of "fighting terrorists," a civilian population and its city's infrastructure is besieged. The courage and commitment of both the organization and Director Firas Fayyad and his crew is astonishing. Moments of uplift (e.g., rescuers shedding their bloody clothes to attend a wedding of a colleague; taking an entire community of kids to a playground during a short-lived "cease-fire") are quickly savaged by further attacks (e.g., when the playground is suddenly under fire). The fact that such events are possible in this decade is unfathomable. To say that it's hard to watch is an understatement. But it's also true that to ignore such a film as Last Men in Aleppo is to turn our backs on an ongoing tragedy of inhuman proportions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why documentary films like Last Men in Aleppo are important. To what lengths were the filmmakers willing to go to record these events? Why?
Were you familiar with Aleppo before you saw this documentary? Had you heard of or read about displaced Syrian refugees (more than 13 million to date)? How did the movie impact what you thought you knew about the crisis? If you were moved by what you saw, how might you take action? Would you recommend this film to others? Why?
Talk about the character of the men portrayed. What qualities did they exhibit that made them heroic? How did you feel about Khaled and Mahmoud and their colleagues? How does seeing real-life heroes in action differ from watching the exploits of fictional heroes?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 10, 2017
- Cast : Khaled
- Director : Firas Fayyad
- Studio : Grasshopper Films
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism ( Civic engagement , Racial justice ) , Family Stories , Friendship , History ( War: Other )
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 3, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate