Review of Under the Bombs (2007) by Marisa G — 28 Mar 2010

In 2006, in response to Hezbollah's rockets, Israel bombards Lebanon for 33 days. On the 34th day, a United Nations negotiated ceasefire is put into effect, giving Zeina(Nada Abou Farhat) an opportunity to enter Lebanon from Dubai by way of Turkey to look for her sister and son. At the taxi stand in Beirut, most drivers seem more interested in driving refugees to Damascus, instead of south into the heart of the war zone where Zeina wants to go. Only Tony(Georges Khabbaz) has the balls to take her there for $300, saying how could he refuse such beautiful eyes...

Lebanon, which is the setting for the harrowing and riveting "Under the Bombs," is often in the middle of wars, not to mention its own bloody civil war. So, forget the sides. Forget Israel. Forget Hezbollah. This movie is about characters who navigate through a devastated wasteland that occasionally obstructs them in a country whose hidden beauty peeks through occasionally. Even though they are going to the same place in a race against time because of how fragile the peace is, their motives are different as are where they want to eventually end up. So, just remember those who are caught in the crossfire of war.