This is not a Hollywood Animated movie, so no need to put it with Toy Story and judge. it is different but in a good way.the artistic texture of the movie is impressive, and yet so (Un-Hollywood) if I might say. each scene is done as it was a classic drawing, a visual joy( the battle scene is simply a cinematic epic. the conversation is very strong and at times it lands on poetry borders. the music is masterpiece, so reflective of the main essence of the movie: the search for freedom. the characters are presented in a clever way,even the villain has his own reasons,no black and white melodrama like most animated hero movies, and the hero was pushed to be a hero, they gave him no other option but to be one. isn't this what happens in real world? in short, Bilal is about a slave who was freed by his faith, and this turns to be much more for him - and for others- than just removing the visible chains..but also about the invisible hidden chains that lie inside and make people their own enemy. Bilal, a NEW breed of hero..and a different kind of movie.
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akomari8 September 2016
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alhamed_lucky8 January 2016I saw by coincidence a picture for will smith with the crow of BILAL. that took me to the movie. what makes me really enthusiasm about it is the story.Bilal is the first African hero in Hollywood as I know.The movie Inspired by true story, True hero who made his path and boast his name as a great man. He started his life as a slave and suffered for a long time before he got his freedom.According to my information He is the first slave got his freedom in the history . The story is full of great meanings. You have to see it more than once because it's a great source of knowledge. There is many characters in the movie, more than any other animation movie I saw and the details are incredible. beautiful music too. full of life. Can't wait to add it to my library. it is a treasure.
Great Great Great -
jonathan_anderson-0518114 September 2016A solid 1st attempt from a region not known for animation. Bilal gave me a tour of their history and culture without going in too deep or getting preachy. It is emotional to witness Bilal's growth and evolution as a character living in a world torn by violence and inequality. The camera work, the music and sound design were all top notch. I loved the battle! Ian Mcshane was very believable and menacing as Umayya and Adewale did a great job bringing legitimacy to Bilal's character. The rest of the acting was also very good! The imaginative take on the cities and characters worked really well with the style of the animation.
I really haven't seen anything quite like this movie. I want to watch it again! -
tenkan10 September 2016Not only was I satisfied with the movie, I was also satisfied with the reaction the audience gave after it ended...gleeful applause!
This film, although based on the founding of Islam, is one that the whole world can learn from and appreciate. A story of identity, struggle and equality.
Cinematography, animation, voice acting, script writing, plot and so much more were truly astounding. I'm very proud for those who worked on this.
Not only was the choice of characters to present wise, including the likes of Abu Bakr Sṣ-Ṣiddīq and Hamza, but the way in which they were presented, portraying them in their appropriate roles.
I wish the film had been longer, but all good things come to an end, as the film hadn't portrayed all the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as I had wished. However, less can be more, as the focus on the presented characters was appropriate.
My one complaint was the movie's end credits. I would have preferred a more soothing soundtrack instead of Akon, as the soundtrack for the film itself proved to be brilliant.
In conclusion, I'd gladly purchase this masterpiece on Blu-ray to watch it over and over again.
Alhamdulilah. -
coeluracat15 January 2021I watched this with an open mind, not having read any reviews, and not having previously heard of it.
Inspired by 'true events' I found the story to be very bland. I'm not quite sure what the writers, director etc. Were aiming for, but clearly they missed the mark. If the story is about religion then this should have featured a little more strongly and obviously in the story telling, instead this film ended up with a dilute version that seems to shy away from any explicit mention of Islam. The message of hope, courage, overcoming oppression and gaining equality could be applied to any number of religions and 'heroes', and has been with far better effect. Perhaps the propaganda machine got in the way trying to give a softening edge to Islam, in the hope that it would woo Western viewers? Whatever the reason it was to the detriment to the somewhat muddled storyline (beginning and end but what happened in the middle?).
The majority of the animation was reasonable but had the feel of a trailer for a new Playstation or XBox game. I kept waiting for the words 'Not actual gameplay' to be displayed at the bottom. There were some beautifully rendered animation features for the hawks and horses, although for the latter quality did slip when in 'group' situations. Fight scenes were well rendered but not outstanding and had no originality.
I'm not sure that the voice stars were actually a good match to the characters. I recognised Ian McShane without having to refer to a cast list. Perhaps it was the poor script and film direction but the characters appeared and sounded wooden and without any dimension. The film started well but quickly deteriorated to the basic good guys and bad guys with no real character building, resulting in very little viewer empathy.
Musical score was easily forgettable, and I have, so no review possible.
Having watched this once I wouldn't consider a repeat viewing. Boredom has it's limits. -
kathleenbarton98319 November 2016It's the first time that i want to write my opinion in a movie. When i started to watch the movie, i said to myself well,it's another cute animation movie. After i finished watching the movie, i didn't even dare to shutdown my lap before writing a review.
Bilal: A New Breed of Hero is simply the best animated movie of the year 2016 because the animation was terrific,the acting was mesmerizing and the plot was impressively perfect.
This movie was beyond anything I'd imagined it to be. I had heard some great stuff about it and decided to watch it and I'm so glad I did. Kids will have fun watching this movie and learn valuable morals. Adults, on the other hand, will immensely enjoy watching this movie, will appreciate it for what it truly is and will understand its real meaning. This movie is just absolutely amazing, the best I've seen all year! Please watch it, you will not be disappointed. -
alanbeaulieu98316 November 2016i surprisingly had a good time! The cinematics are good, humour was quite on point and it had a great moral in the movie.Some might argue that the movie came a little bit too late, but i tend to disagree. My friend remembered the main characters and was happy to see them.
The animation is brilliant and The voice acting is perfect. I really enjoyed it and the story was very good.
+Surprisingly charming +Voice talent +Great animated action
Overall though I liked it since Animation is my favourite genre of all time. Yes folks I am a 25 year old woman with no children and I love this movies so what.
I am giving this an 10/10 star ! -
meetejaz14 September 2016coming from a studio based in the the middle east as there first movie, i went to the cinema with not much high expectations,but Wow. Just wow.This movie is astounding.Everything is done so well. The animation is beautiful, the characters are charming,and the battle scenes are just epic. The plot is simple and yet complex, and the world that the audience is thrown into is an extremely interesting one.
It isn't afraid to try new things, which is extremely important in today's industry. Not only does every moment of the movie look exquisite, but the story is smart, original and hugely entertaining. With utmost care applied to its every shot, the adults will be marveling as much as the youngsters. -
pendurkarsupriya14 September 2016Bilal is the biggest first ever animated movie created in middle east till date.Spectacular visuals and strong characterization are some of the key factors of this movie. its production of established animation studio in UAE.The efforts and top notch work standard can be easily seen on the screen.Every character in film is crafted very well. Well voice overs for each character putting more life in them. its like introduction of the part of history.The movie is a fascinating glimpse into an important period in the history of the region, and the attention to detail paid to the costumes and backgrounds gives an authentic impression of the historical. Quality of work is very good on first! congratulation to Team. :)
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kristinarnold983717 November 2016This is a huge movie, seriously huge. The quality is top. The music is great, and I left singing it; the lead characters are very likable, with memorable sidekicks; and there are even surprises, things you would never expect to see in a animated film! I have been singing part of your world and reflection for years and i feel that let it go and most songs i will be singing for years to come. It was new and yet nostalgic and took me back to my childhood years and recreated the spirit of the movies i adored tenfold. It has something for everyone and that is why i loved it so much. Everything from action and romance and comedy and fantasy and not forgetting the tears.
This is my favorite movie of the year so far, and may even be my favorite movie in years. I highly recommend this one! -
sanjayjohn14 September 2016An awesome story excellently produced. Amazing story line and execution. Never knew such a Hero ever existed in the human history. The film shows how Bilal grew up from a Slave to someone who shows the path of the liberation of human kind. The historical era is beautifully recreated in the movie. The extensive research done by the production team is commendable. I happened to see this movie by chance and would have definitely missed a good film if i haven't.
Thank You Barajoun and the team for bringing Bilal's story to the screens. The animation is top class and the characterization is perfect. A must watch movie for all ages. -
bobash983016 November 2016To put it simply, this movie is a jewel: After being in love with it for quite the time, I have decided to settle down and write a review for it, because no matter how much praise it gets, this short animation film deserves more.All the people who did voices for the movie did very well. I was very impressed by how they got the mood just right and how you could just feel the emotion. The music and the animation are extremely well done. Another great part of this movie is the animation. People these days are getting so used to computer animation that when they see stop-motion, the first thing they think about are all the flaws in the movie. To me, that is the beauty of it. Everything you see is man-made by artists and craftsmen. It's awesome.
All in all, this movie is a 8!! Go see this movie you won't regret it!!! -
nightbiker-131 August 2018I always like to say something good about a movie -every movie has at least something positive, after all. The animation was acceptable. This is not a ringing endorsement since computers, software and those skilled at working with them should be able to bring something visually decent to the screen. As a story, it was difficult to follow at times, but if you can stomach the boredom, it is not a bad story. Worth it? Hardly (and I didn't have to pay to see it). It is not the worst film ever brought to screen (never understood those comments) but the goal was supposed to include giving a better, newer perspective on the islamic culture. It fails miserably at this, and in truth it just was not a very good story. Maybe it loses something in the translation (culturally speaking) but while I love animated movies, this one will find no place in my library.
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I thought only more than 90% audience are loving this movie but once I Google, I found almost all top critic strongly recommending this movie including Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Screen Daily, Sydney Buzz, Indi Wire, etc. Anyone can Google can find these only, also can check trusted sites like Rotten Tomatoes, everyone giving more than 4 start out of 5 Negative rating I thought coming from those, who are actually disappointed and paid negative votes. How any studio can deliver outstanding movie in this short amount of time unanimously acclaimed by all critic. For the ones who has not watched the movie just go on BILAL: A New Breed of Hero YouTube, Facebook, & Instagram side to recognize how far they took the quality
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nogodnomasters29 July 2018The story takes place in Mecca during the early days of Islam. Bilal was a slave and an early convert. His origins disagree with Wikipedia, but what else is new. They shows some violence, minor blood, and torture. The graphics were less than what we have grown used to and the fighting motions were poorly done.
Bilal was a friend of Mohammad, who we never see because of the Islamic ban on showing any likeness of him which made the film a bit awkward. So this is a tale about the early days of Islam that never mentions Allah or Mohammad.
The film preaches equality of the races and class. -
meredithbaxter98308 November 2016"Bilal: A New Breed of Hero" is simply one of the best animated films ever made: The plots is brilliantly developed, the animation is detailed and beautiful to look at, the characters are fascinating and interesting, and the world simply captivating, but mysterious and dangerous and well.
The animation was amazing. Every character looked awesome and had so much detail to them. Nothing really popped out of you, but it just gave it an extra depth that made it more real. I think it was so cool.
The movie was really cute. I really enjoyed the movie and recommend you see it. :) -
emoryaustin983114 November 2016I couldn't wait to see the film and i genuinely loved it. Epic music, great actor. I am usually extremely difficult about movies, I am usually a fan of repertoire cinema and modern movies. Yet I was amazed at the quality of the Bilal: A New Breed of Hero movie. Story wise, the characters have great interactions as expected, some great one liners and beautiful costumes. For atmosphere, the music is well used, and again, consistently nods to previous films. Colours are fantastic throughout, but that is to be expected with modern film and projection.
The actors deliver. The character development is on point. The music? Amazing. Go in and watch the movie and accept it for what it is. Don't look for something negative because if you go in with that mentality then you'll find find it. Haters gonna hate. Ainters gonna ain't. Go on. Be an "ainter".
So, just go to see it, the story and the fun! -
bodinebalasco983811 November 2016Poetic, humorous, visually stunning, multilayered, a musical masterpiece and so beautiful it will make your heart bleed, this film is rather dark and tragic however and not entirely suitable for the youngest among us. I don't think it ever was intended to be. A stunning poetic interpretation and a personal favourite.
This piece was one of the best applications of stop-motion that I have ever seen. The beauty was in the simplicity of the shots, along with the vivid imagery. I adored this movie like nothing I have before. Cartoons just don't hold the same magic that they used to; this movie changed my perceptions of what it meant to be "animated". If you couldn't notice, I loved it. Watch it. A lot.
I'm gonna grade this movie an A+! -
philfeeley26 July 2018On a technical aspect, the animation is first rate. Unfortunately, the story is muddled. It's about a slave in the Arab world challenging the rightness of slavery - proclaiming he is free. That's okay to that point, but the film is muddled from then on. Who is the mysterious stranger convincing Bilal of the idea of freedom? Who is the mysterious warrior who trains him? Who are the others who go to war against the slavers? We are never told. I guess the problem is the filmmakers are up against the same restrictions as every journalist in the western world - you can't depict Mohammed in any form.
Worse, slavery thrived in the Arab world after these events. Arabs were the primary providers of the Americans' slaves. Where slavery continues today (!) it's primarily in the Arab world. And Islam only served to cement this autocratic system.
So the story wants us to believe that Bilal was "one of the first to challenge the institution of slavery." I guess the film makers conveniently forgot about Spartacus (against the Romans in the first century B.C.) and the Jews) about 4,000 (!) years ago against the Egyptians).
So the film gets a 5 for its technical aspects, but a 1 for story. Pure propaganda that convinces only the already convinced. -
I strongly recommend everyone to watch this movie. This animated feature made upon real life hero. You will feel proud once you see what came out from Dubai. Dubai owns many record, biggest tower of the world, biggest seven star hotel of the word, biggest mall of the world, man made island and now they are making biggest theme park of the world and man made safari. This movie you can proudly present as the greatest movie any film maker has ever produce. It has more than 12 minute animated battle sequence, which is again a record, more than 2 min full visual effect sand sequence, more than 5,000 horses every single frame is master piece. I am proud resident of Dubai and now more.
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vincevaughn-9650112 November 2016The production values on display are impressive. The characters are immaculately rendered and some of the scenes are visually stunning, from galloping horses and swooping birds of prey to the vast deserts and epic battle scenes.
The animation and design can genuinely stand alongside the best Hollywood fare, as should be expected from a team that has worked on hits including Shrek and Monsters, Inc.
the movie is a fascinating glimpse into an important period in the history of the region, and the attention to detail paid to the costumes and backgrounds gives an authentic impression of the historical period.
Bilal brings an important story from the region, and the underlying message of empowerment and egalitarianism is one from which we can all benefit.
Visually, Bilal repatriates animated Arabian iconography after a spell locked up in the Disney bunker of Aladdin and 1001 Arabian Nights, before Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones comprehensively raided the region's costume department and settings. With some tweaks and trims to curb excesses, this could be seen widely in observant households and schools on the international stage, while it clearly boasts powerful local appeal.
Bilal is based on the real-life historical figure Bilal Ibn Rabah, a close companion of the prophet Mohammed who ultimately moved to Medina and was the first Muaddhin to call the faithful to prayer. He sacrificed much for his freedom in a cruel, feudal society.
"BILAL has a lasting message well understood in the humanistic framework. This is a unique feature with a compelling socially relevant content for today. It provides the plausible interpretation that hidden by the ideology of false gods greed destroys the essence of mankind and enslaves all subjected to it. Bilal strongly opposes inequality and battles the subordination of people. In the current climate of growing class division a faith based appeal to strengthen moral values should attract a large audience."
This is, visually, an electrifying debut for Barajoun Entertainment -
avranzack31 January 2018I was super excited about the movie, being a Muslim, thinking that finally someone is going to promote the true message of peace of Islam to the entire world! And I was extremely disappointed in every way! this movie was good in one thing: Propaganda (just have a look at obvious paid reviews and ratings everywhere), which got many people (like myself) excited till they watch the exact opposite on screen.
The story shows how Savage Arabs attack the week and helpless Ethiopians (even though historically Ethiopia was a great Empire at that time controlling big chunk of Arabia and was about to concur Mecca!). So Bilal and his sister Gufera are enslaved by the bad Arabs. Then we see how Bilal remember the flashbacks of his mother that was killed by Arabs when she was incepting the values of peace and freedom in little Bilal, asking him to put the Sword aside. So Bilal, helpless angry slave gets recruited by the Muslim brotherhood using the carrot of equality and freedom (in real life Bilal's moto was pure faith). He rebels, Ummayah puts a stone on his chest, Abubaker watches, and at the end he decides to buy Bilal. Gufera gets captured by Ummayah, but Bilal happily leaves her to join the Muslim brotherhood and starts practicing on how to wave swords and kill infidels. From this moment on, it is all about the climax holy war of Badr, you see other Muslim scholars being silly and doing nothing through the movie, till we see them brutally and excitingly killing infidels in that war with the help of glowing angels (yes they showed white glowing angels in full armor slaying infidels!) it the first time in movie history to show God literally taking sides and sending armored angels to kill the other non-believers, it is also the first time where an animated war scene takes that long, the film makers are so proud of the war they applied for Guinness to claim that record. They could easily claim the record for the most violent movie ever addressed for kids! I can't believe how it is rated PG-13, lots of killing and swords penetrating from one side going out from the other, arrows doing into chests and necks.. but after wiping the blood. So kids can watch it and take example from their Muslim role models! And when PR people talk about it, it seems as if they talking about some other movie, they neglect the story and events of the film and repeat the PR articles that doesn't exist. Do they really want kids (Muslim and non Muslims) to get exposed to that holy war? what example and message would they get? I think only ISIS would be proud to show such a film to their kids! Making peace by killing all the others!
What I am trying to say here is that Islam has nothing to do with all the terror in Bilal Movie, Bilal is a passionate believer, and his moto in life wasn't revenge (BTW he killed Ommayah in the worst way possible because he thinks that Ummayah killed Gufera, but he didn't!). Bilal wasn't a selfish seeker of freedom, Bilal wasn't a negative whiny kid who is good at nothing but killing, real Bilal was an example of commitment, dedication, and faith, he used his voice for Azan to unite all people. The film neglected all that, neglected the humanitarian values of Islam and Sahaba (Abu Baker, Ali, Hamza, Saad, Sohaib, & Bilal) and showed them as killers. It even picked Safwan Ibn Ommayah, the great Muslim Sahabi as the main villain, without even showing how he followed prophet Mohammad.
This movie is an insult to Islam, humanity & Africans.
With all that said, it is written and directed so badly that I was bored to death watching it, and finished it only because of the shock. -
keithbailey983413 November 2016Bilal: A New Breed of Hero is a beautifully made movie. It has excellent cast, an enchanting music score, spectacular special effects and a very touching story.
Childhood memories. As of recently I have been re-watching some movies I watched and liked as a kid. From what I remembered this was one of the better ones so I decided to sit down and take a look at it.
I also enjoyed the soundtrack for this movie. It is very fitting and although most of the time it is the same melody it doesn't get irritating.
So if you want an hour and a half of mindless entertainment of family fun then this might be the one for you. Don't expect much but it is worth watching if you have kids and they want to see something new that you might also enjoy. -
bastos6 October 2020Wow, I was completely unaware of the "popularity" this movie had. I love coming here and reading reviews where every other review is either a 1 or a 10! 1, 10, 1, 10, 2, 9. I watched this movie having only the knowledge of its title and IMDB rating, which is still very high (7.9) by the time I'm writing this, so I will try and give this an unbiased point of view. I also had no idea that Bilal was a religious figure, and that was a good thing as I generally hate religious movies so I went in with an open mind. I really liked the direction of the movie, really well shot scenes and very dynamic action scenes. One particularly long battle is probably the highlight of the movie as it rivals with any mainstream blockbuster. The problem was that the animation could have been better, it was not a disaster, mind you, but not up to the standards set by other studios or by the ambition of the direction. The story, on the other hand, was a bit of a mess. Again, I didn't know anything about Bilal, but many times it had the vibe of a religious propaganda movie, only it never went there which was very strange. After doing some research I found out he was a very important Islamic figure and it baffles me that they did a religious movie without any religion in it?! There are some western examples of movies that try the same thing, but in a different way, like the recent Ridley Scott directed Exodus, where it tries to show the Exodus story but with a scientific approach of how it could have happened without any supernatural occurrences. This is not it, it just veers away from religion every time something religious is about to happen. Very strange decision as it affects the flow of the movie and especially the ending is almost incomprehensible if you don't have the religious background. This leaves us with a Ben-Huresque kind of story, with a nice direction, nice rhythm, so so animation and a very confused audience. Not terrible. Not amazing.
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jhonmilton14 November 2016Bilal is the debut of Dubai-based Barajoun Entertainment, and the first animated feature film to come out of the United Arab Emirates. In a mythical desert kingdom rendered in careful detail, a young slave strives for freedom. With spectacular set pieces and a sweeping scope, Bilal starts off on the right foot for a debut effort.
Bilal evokes animated blockbusters but manages to avoid being an imitator. Even though the story follows the standard Hollywood beats for an action flick, this is a film that bears the imprint of where it was made in the UAE. This sense of place is subtle – the ever-changing deserts, for example — but nonetheless present and welcome.
This is contrasted with the conspicuous decadence of the wealthy merchants, who worship only money. A roly-poly slave trader with a gigantic toothy smile is an entertaining supporting character among their numbers. A compassionate priest secretly takes Bilal under his tutelage, and he learns that the merchants are themselves slaves – to greed, power, and fear. Although the tone is light-hearted this is a film that grapples with some big questions. The comic relief comes from a bumbling supporting cast and physical comedy, instead of the ironic pop-culture quips common to American fare.
There is some striking effects animation in the film, especially in a dream sequence in which Bilal battles a gargantuan idol made of glowing sand.