A wholly engrossing true story of Ashraf Marwan (Marwan Kenzari – Old Guard, Aladdin), son-in-law to President Nasser, Egyptian diplomat and a Mossad spy. The Angel is based on The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel by Uri Bar-Joseph.
A sublime espionage story of intelligence, counter-intelligence, strategies, bluffs and double bluffs as Marwan travels between Cairo and London, disliked by Nasser but valued by his successor, President Saddat (Sasson Gabai – The Band’s Visit, Gett). Money was the initial motivation for Marwan, but diplomacy rather than war to ease tensions in the region was his voiced opinion (a view disdained by Nasser).
Seemingly shot through a fug of cigarette smoke with 1970s dull autumnal tonality to create atmosphere, director Ariel Vromen (Criminal, The Iceman) captures the tensions of the politics, aided by actual news footage of the time. The film is less assured, however, with time spent on the domestics of Marwan’s home life.
Rating: 62%
An Opinion or Two 