West Beirut review

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Beirut, 1975: Civil war has broken out in Lebanon. Tarek (Doueiri), Omar (Chamas) and May (Al Amin) are three young friends whose lives will be changed by the conflict. Their school has been closed down, and the capital is split into the Muslim West and Christian East. But, although bombs are falling every night, the teens are determined to keep exploring the city and to continue developing their own Super 8 films.

Drawing on his own childhood experiences in which "the happy memories have cancelled out the bad ones", writer-director Ziad Doueiri (Tarantino's camera operator) has made an accomplished coming-of-age drama that's earned rightful comparisons to John Boorman's Hope And Glory.

The focus here is very much on how the youthful protagonists maintain their curiosity, rather than on the historical events of the war itself. There's little in the way of plot, rather a succession of engaging scenes, but Tarek et al prove highly sympathetic characters.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine. 

Latest in Adventure Movies
Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
The Monopoly movie from Margot Robbie's production company will be written by the Dungeons and Dragons movie directors
The Goonies
Ke Huy Quan recalls Steven Spielberg playing a hilarious "big joke" on Harrison Ford when the Indiana Jones star visited The Goonies set
Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth
Jurassic World Rebirth actor teases a "link" with Sam Neill's Jurassic Park character – and fans think they've worked it out
Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth
Epic Jurassic World Rebirth trailer sees Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey battle dinosaurs that were deemed "too dangerous for the original park"
Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World Rebirth
Jurassic World Rebirth's writer says the new movie will include a novel scene they had to cut from the 1993 original
Jim Carrey as Robotnik in Sonic 3
Sonic 3 deleted scene reveals Jim Carrey's Robotnik has a side hustle where he live-streams under the handle 'Huevo Diablo'
Latest in Reviews
The pump header of the NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB showing a 35 degree cpu
NZXT Kraken Elite 360 RGB review: "Has some solid design points that make installation a lot easier"
Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid gaming keyboard on a wooden desk with blue lighting
Logitech G Pro X TKL Rapid review: "one of the best value Hall effect gaming keyboards out there"
Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt in The Electric State
The Electric State review: "Although this may be their most visually stunning movie yet, it looks like the Russos are yet to find their footing outside of the MCU"
Doggerland player board
Doggerland review: "A delicate dance of survival and management that doesn't feel weighted toward a single strategy"
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX gaming mouse standing upright on a wooden desk
Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 DEX review: "a force to be reckoned with"
Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again season 1 review: "There have been far worse Marvel projects, but few as disappointing as this"