Summary
The film has a fun concept and an entertaining first half, but the tone shift makes it hard to enjoy the second half.
We review the Netflix film Alkhallat+, which does not contain spoilers.
Alkhallat+ is an anthology piece that is difficult to execute in a two-hour film. Some pieces will be more engaging than others, and it comes down to which pieces are strong enough to start and end with. If you go into this film (like I did) without knowing that it’s an anthology series, it is a bit underwhelming after the second story.
The first half of this film pulls you in instantly because of how director Fahad Alammari sets up his characters. The first story is beautifully shot and has some great camerawork that compliments the trickery because it comes from a good place. There’s a reason people chose to go through these situations, and you can almost relate to them.
These are simple stories that come with lessons on how to outfool the trickster, which makes for some strong moments throughout.
Alkhallat+ Review and Plot Summary
Alkhallat+ uses the quote, “He who has a trick in their bag, they shall use it,” right after the first story, and the title card drops. This anthology of social deception and trickery takes place in four unlikely places. The first one is at a wedding, and before the family attends the wedding, they find out that one tyre from their car was about to be stolen, so they bring the thief with them.
The second story has a young chef working in a kitchen at a high-end restaurant who wants to bring her parents closer together. The third story has a widow mourning her husband, and his best friend was in charge of taking his phone away so his wife couldn’t see what was on there. The fourth story was about a father and son getting into some shenanigans while the mother was out.
All very simple stories can show different situations and how they affect people differently. It also shows a form of loyalty and trust among the characters, which constantly shifts from story to story. It’s seeing how far they are willing to go.
Is Alkhallat+ good?
An anthology is only as good as its strongest story, and unfortunately, Alammari didn’t order his stories properly to keep audiences engaged. The first two stories are fun and entertaining and actually have a lighthearted message. It also heavily implies that karma will come back and get you if you take a situation farther than it should have gone in the first place.
The camera work is the most interesting aspect of the first story because it keeps you invested through the visuals. However, it fizzles after the second story because of the tonal shift to the third. It was fun and easy to follow until it transitioned into a darker story about death and a husband’s secrets.
Only for the tone to shift again into the fourth story which was more upbeat and entertaining. Once you’re taken out of that energy, that the movie started off with, it’s kind of jarring, and difficult to get back into the concept Alammari wanted to present.
What did you think of the Netflix film Alkhallat+? Comment below.
