Introduction"The Mauritanian" is a 2021 legal thriller movie directed by Kevin Macdonald, based upon Mohamedou Ould Slahi's 2015 narrative "Guantánamo Diary". The film stars Tahar Rahim as Mohamedou Ould Slahi, Jodie Foster as Nancy Hollander, Shailene Woodley as Teri Duncan, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch. The film tells the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp without charge for more than a decade, and the steadfast efforts of his attorneys to protect his flexibility.
PlotThe film opens in 2001, revealing the arrest of Mohamedou Ould Slahi by Mauritanian authorities at his family home. The action then shifts to six years later on, where Slahi has actually been incarcerated in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp without correct charges or a trial. He is thought of being a high-ranking Al-Qaeda employer who was associated with the 9/11 attacks.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, defense attorney Nancy Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan decide to take up Slahi's case after learning about the lack of proof against him. They take a trip to Guantanamo and consult with Slahi, who consents to have them represent him. Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch, a military district attorney, is appointed to the case and is entrusted with convicting Slahi.
As Hollander and Duncan investigate Slahi's case, they deal with various challenges, consisting of limited access to files, heavily redacted documents, and an absence of any concrete evidence linking Slahi to the 9/11 attacks. On the other hand, Couch also has a hard time to discover any strong proof versus Slahi.
Slahi's Torture and ConfessionsIn a series of flashbacks, the audience learns that Slahi underwent severe and harsh abuse by the U.S. government under the order of then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. He went through waterboarding, sleep deprivation, sexual humiliation, and physical abuse. The torture eventually led Slahi to wrongly confess to his involvement in the 9/11 attacks and other terrorist activities.
As Couch learns about the torture approaches used on Slahi, he grows progressively uncomfortable and concerns the authenticity of the confessions obtained under pressure. All at once, Hollander and Duncan reveal a memo detailing making use of these abuse strategies, giving them a legal basis for challenging the authenticity of Slahi's ongoing detention.
Court Battle and Slahi's ReleaseAs the case finally reaches the court, Hollander argues that Slahi's confessions were persuaded and therefore can not be utilized as proof versus him. Couch, disappointed by the illegal methods used to extract information from Slahi, decides to withdraw from prosecuting the case due to ethical issues. Regardless of the federal government's efforts to reduce the proof of torture, the court rules in Slahi's favor, and his habeas corpus petition is given, buying his release.
Nevertheless, the U.S. federal government appeals the decision, and Slahi remains in custody for a number of more years. After years of legal fights, Slahi is lastly released from Guantanamo Bay in 2016 and go back to his family in Mauritania, after investing 14 years in detention without ever being charged with a criminal offense.
Conclusion"The Mauritanian" is a powerful and deeply moving film that sheds light on the serious injustices and human rights abuses that have actually happened at Guantanamo Bay. It highlights the value of the rule of law and the power of determined people to produce modification. With gripping performances by Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, and Benedict Cumberbatch, the film works as a timely tip of the need for a reasonable and just legal system, even in the face of terrorism and nationwide security issues.
Top Cast
