Eagles Of The Republic Review: Tarik Saleh’s Pseudo Comic Political Thriller Is A Mixed Bag

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Movies depicting artists rebelling against oppressive governments are plentiful, but stories about artists creating work for those governments are rarer. Tarik Saleh’s latest film, the thrilling conclusion to his Cairo Trilogy, explores this idea with a bold, darkly humorous look at the illusion of artistic freedom when true freedom doesn’t exist.

George Fahmy, a hugely popular actor nicknamed “The Pharaoh of the Screen,” finds his freedom strangely diminishing as his fame grows. He doesn’t seem concerned by Egypt’s authoritarian president, El-Sisi—until the secret police start threatening his career and his son, Ramy. They want him to star in a film clearly designed to promote El-Sisi’s story, and they’re willing to use pressure to get him to agree.

Eagles Of The Republic (Mostly) Succeeds In Bleakly Funny Portrayal Of State Power

After Egypt’s President El-Sisi took power by ousting the elected Mohamed Morsi in 2013, he’s used the military and security forces to stay in control. Elections since then have largely been unfair, with people pressured to support his government. Throughout most of the film, this political situation remains in the background while Fahmy enjoys his fame and a carefree life with his younger girlfriend, Donya (Lyna Khoudri), and is adored by everyone around him.

Initially, Fahmy agreeing to the demands seems like a betrayal. His son is particularly upset that he’s collaborating with people he strongly dislikes. Saleh points out the absurdity of the situation, noting that El-Sisi is said to be insecure about his height; despite being significantly taller, Fahmy was instructed not to use any makeup that would emphasize his baldness or weight.

As the movie delves into more disturbing themes and the harsh realities of this world become clearer, Fahmy’s choice to work for his country feels increasingly unavoidable. His celebrity status has become a trap, as people are constantly vanishing in this society (his film contract even includes a forged suicide note explaining his decision). Despite being a dedicated artist, Fahmy struggles to make a decent film, but his attempts at realism are repeatedly thwarted by the mysterious Dr. Manssour (Amr Waked), who appears to be monitoring Fahmy’s apartment.

The film struggles with inconsistent tone and feels too long and drawn out. Many scenes unnecessarily repeat the same ideas, making the movie feel slow. Supporting characters, such as Rula, aren’t developed effectively due to the plot’s lack of focus. And a potentially impactful relationship between Fahmy and Suzanne feels underdeveloped and lacks emotional depth.

When it truly shines, Eagles of The Republic effectively shows us that everyone is involved in politics, whether they realize it or not. Once Fahmy reaches this point in the story, he’s trapped, but he ended up there because he previously avoided getting involved in public life. The movie could have been stronger if it had focused on being either a comedy or a serious thriller, but the ending is excellent and very suspenseful.

The film could easily be seen as bleak, given how deeply Fahmy suffers, but Saleh skillfully suggests finding strength in friends, family, and local support instead of relying on those in power. The film makes it clear that appealing to the government – especially one as brutal as this – is pointless, even if someone with influence, like a famous actor, is personally recognized by their attacker and even wanted for a role.

Eagles of the Republic screened at the 2025 AFI Film Festival.

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2025-10-31 16:28