Cairo Conspiracy achieved an overall appreciation score of 83.6%. Many members found this gripping, harrowing but interesting; however, there was also feelings that its choice was too dark and unpleasant to finish the season. Some of the comments submitted:
- Great plot and held my attention throughout. Interesting and very relevant subject. For Egypt substitute any number of other countries.
- Beautifully filmed and visually striking. Story gripping and informative.
- Harrowing, gripping and full of suspense. No wonder the Egyptians banned it!
- Very gripping and, even if fictionalised, fascinating insight into church/state tensions which we don’t always hear about.
- Thrilling, gripping and intense. It’s culturally fascinating with a fantastic plot. Edge of the seat, without overdoing it. I’d watch it again and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
- One of my favourite films of this season. A well filmed and acted political thriller which delved into a world I knew little about. Full of intrigue.
- I am not sure I need anyone to tell me Islamic governments are heartless, cruel, dangerous and implacable. Nor that theocracies are inimical to democracy. Nor that people are happy to be bound up in mad regimes, and even enjoy cruelty and unreasonably wielded power when offered, and reluctant to behave well if their lives are threatened. The film got all that – but, while it was engaging, and potent as one watched, it constantly raised for me the old question, “Why are you telling me this?” I think an Egyptian audience would have understood its revolutionary nature. I found it – shamingly – just boring. It is also worth reflecting that there are more or less no women in the film (nor in the madrassah, nor in people’s lives). No wonder Egypt is such a mess.
- A good film but not the best to end the season on, quite harrowing to watch.
- I found it difficult to rate this film. I thought it was a strange choice for the last film of the season, given that it’s about a world which is closed to a good half of the audience. As a woman it was hard to engage with it except with horror and exasperation. I learned nothing new about the way politics operates in the Middle East. Adam’s escape at the end seemed unlikely in the context of the brutality of the story. Perhaps scheduling it at a different time in the programme would have been better. As it is, the film has left an unpleasant memory of what on the whole has been a good season.
- Interesting but rather bleak film on which to end the season.
- Powerful criticism about religious fanaticism, well acted, a bit slow.
- Reinforced my views on the authoritarian, misogynistic, and politically corrupt nature of many Islamic states. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Adam is perhaps one of the very few to survive in such systems. A very depressing portrayal of some parts of human kind.
- A political thriller without many thrills unfortunately. It showed good potential at times with some interesting twists, turns and machinations, but never really gained any momentum until the final act. Even then, I didn’t find myself particularly caring for or empathising with any of the characters. An interesting concept that never really lives up to its potential.
- Sorry but that was a horrible one to end the season. Reduced life to nastiness. So obviously well made and acted that I should be drawn into the film .. but I didn’t find anything positive about it.