I wanted Nassim to surprise me, but instead, he becomes a pawn in a cruel game that the filmmakers have laid out to make a laudable if ham-fisted point.

It’s too bad the filmmakers seem to think that the bigger the spectacle, the more powerfully communicated this whirlwind of politics and emotions. The opposite is the case.

Didacticism aside, the deft juxtaposition of the different forms of violence – Kamal’s physical deterioration on the frontline and Nassim’s psychological changes – hits home hard.

Rebel is a gripping story about a family torn apart by political extremism. Although this 135-minute drama is a little too long and needed tighter film editing, the story and performances are worth watching.