Rating: 
Summary: excellent movie
Review: This movie is a wonderful depiction of the life of the Prophet (pbuh) and the conquest of Islam over the hearts of many. Although it has some historical inaccuracies, it is generally true to the history and true to the spirit of Islam and Muslims. The movie attempts to go beyond the stereotypes and insecurities often cited by people living in the West, and in fact displays Islam as a religion that has the same roots as its Judeo-Christian brother-faiths. Besides the spiritual and historical content, this movie is well-shot and excellently directed. The scenes of battle are particularly delightful to watch, whereas the scenes involving the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are impressive and inspiring (all done without ever showing the person of Muhammad, pbuh). Overall, this is a wonderfully made movie. Definitely a must-watch for all, regardless of ethnicity or religion.
Rating: 
Summary: The BEST film about Islam & the Prophet (PBUH) ever
Review: Bismillah ar-rahman ir-rahim. This movie is a MUST SEE for all muslims and anyone interested in Islam. As a recent convert to Islam I found this movie to be truly moving and an educational experience. It should be required viewing for any college course on Western & Comparative Religion. It truly captures the feeling of 7th century Arabia and the hedonism of the Meccans at the time of the Prophet (PBUH). Moustapha Akkad does a wonderful job directing the film and deserves kudos for getting approval from the religious authorities of Al-Azar and the Shiat on the script (as explained in the thorough documentary on the making of the film). Maurice Jarre (who composed the score for Lawrence of Arabia) does a wonderful job setting the tone for this movie with his wonderful score. The only aspect of this film I found disconcerting was when the characters would address the camera directly when speaking to the Prophet (PBUH), essentially putting the audience in the Prophet's shoes. I agree with the filmmakers that the Prophet (PBUH) should not be shown and they did a good job of making his presence felt even though he is neither seen nor heard throughout the movie. Anthony Quinn does a great job as Hamza, the Prophet's (PBUH) uncle and Irene Pappas is convincing as the wicked, coniving Hind. When Bilal gives the first call to prayer it sent shivers down my spine. This movie is truly a gem and should be more easily available in stores especially in the post 9/11 environment. It would be great to see the DVD reissued in the USA with both the English and Arabic versions of the film (with two separate casts). WATCH THIS MOVIE! YOU WON'T REGRET IT! Salaam.
Rating:
Summary: Various Islamic personages were ignored!
Review: It is a great movie and represents the real message of Islam. However, various "eminent" Islamic personages were completely ignored, such as Abu Baker, Omar, Othman and others. I would recommend this movie to those who want to know about the reality and the message of Islam, not about its people. Thanks!
Rating: 
Summary: DID MOHAMMAD PREACH MERCY AND PEACE?
Review: Originally released as "Mohammad: Messenger of God" in 1976 and more recently on DVD as "THE MESSAGE" (Anchor Bay, ...), this lavish, nearly four hour epic focuses on the life and impact of Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim, the founder of Islam, who was born about 1,600 years ago in Mecca. Orphaned at six and trained to be a merchant, Mohammad received the prophetic call in a series of visions that later were recorded as the Koran. The movie never actually shows an image of Mohammad. A respectful religious conceit that works. Sometimes the camera assumes his point of view or cuts to his companions. Anthony Quinn stands out as warrior Uncle Hamza. The film begins in 610 A.D. at Ka'bah where pagans worship over 300 idols and merchants rule the sacred community. For three days, Mohammad has been secluded in the mountains receiving visions from Allah via the angel Gabriel. A small group of believers meet secretly before openly proclaiming His monotheistic message of mercy and love to the locals.But these rebels are attacked and the survivors flee. The film straightforwardly presents the traditional events in the history of Islam. It also makes clear Mohammad's true message of mercy and peace, a far cry from the interpretation of extremists attempting to ignite a jihad. There are over 1.5 billion practicing Moslems in the world and it is currently the fastest growing religion. Attention must be paid. The film produced and directed by Moustapha Akkad, boasts spectacular production values and a memorable score by Maurice Jarre. Irene Papas and Michael Ansara co-star. Filmed on location in the Sahara Desert, Morocco and Libya. There's a bonus making of documentary.
Rating:
Summary: I really wonder!!
Review: After watching this movie I really wonder as to why it was banned across the Arab world. Such a pity really!. In an age where people have horrible misconceptions of Islam this film would do a great deal in atleast putting a doubt in people's mind that Islam is nothing like the religion it is potrayed by the Western media.
I really hope & pray that someone comes along & tries to revive the movie by re-releasing it.
I as a muslim found myself trying to gulp my emotions while watching it. I feel this movie will serve as a starting point to people becoming interested in Islam & trying to learn more about it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Great Cast, Great Story
Review: I have seen both the Arabic version, and the English version. This movie was not dubbed from English to Arabic or from Arabic to English. A movie was created for each language with different cast both movies are very accurate and extremely well executed. The movie depicts Islam in its true form. Islam is about peace, equality, and freedom, war is only a last resort to free Muslims from persecution and oppression. The movie also shows the bond that exists between Islam and other religions. There is a lot more to Islam than what the movie shows but it's a good overall introduction to how Islam started and what it stands for. I highly recommend this movie to Muslims and non-Muslims. Movie buffs will love the movie because of the performance of the actors as well as the scenery; this movie was filmed in Morocco and Libya. You are in for another treat if you watch the director's commentary after the movie, it shows how the movie was made and to what great length Moustapha Akkad went to in order to preserve authenticity, you will also get a brief look at Muslims from around the world. (Currently the majority of Muslims are from non-Arabic descent)
Rating:
Summary: Underrated Cinema Epic
Review: The Message is a compelling and riveting cinema epic. I have to say that I am certainly moved everytime I watch this movie. It tries to be a factual and informative movie while not trangressing the limits set by Islam such as not seeing the person of Muhammad and some companions. This epic is certainly moving, it captures the essence of Islam and preaches the Oneness of God, and that Muhammad is His Messenger. It chronicles the life of Muhammad S.A.W. from when he received the first Divine Message up till his end. It examines the tribulations and greatness of prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) and tries to keep as though the viewer is there among them. Truly a captivating experience. I recommend it highly for Muslims to deepen their knowledge of Islamic history and also especially for non-muslims so that they may know and understand the message of Islam, what not with the bad protrayal of Islam by the media nowadays. This remains my favourite movie of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Various Islamic personages were ignored!
Review: It is a great movie and represents the real message of Islam. However, various "eminent" Islamic personages were completely ignored, such as Abu Baker, Omar, Othman and others. I would recommend this movie to those who want to know about the reality and the message of Islam, not about its people. Thanks!
Rating:
Summary: Time for A Special Edition
Review: This DVD product is not up to the standards of current DVDs. It's most glaring omission is English subtitles. Fortunately, it's the kind of film that sets a stately pace (to match the solemnity of the topic), and the actors speak in crisp, easily understandable voices...most of the time. Since the original film was done in two versions, I think it is about time that they rereleased this in a Special Edition. It would be interesting to see the Arabic version of the film with English subtitles. As it is, you only get a hint of the second version in the Arabic trailer on the current product. I also found the stills gallery irksome. It isn't a gallery, but a slide show, with loud music playing throughout. It would be nice if there were an option to view the stills without all the sturm and drang. The film itself is a decent religious/historical drama. Most of the acting is quite well done. There are some truly moving moments in this film: my favorite was when a former slave speaks up and defends a possible convert who is having doubts. What he has to say about the issue of doubts struck me as one of the wisest things I have ever heard in a film about any religion. Another reviewer here lauded the battle scenes, but I would have to disagree with that. The battle scenes were almost laughable by today's standards. Yet, that is really not so important within the context of the whole. This is a film about the birth of one of the world's major religions, not "Lord of The Rings." I recommend this film to anyone interested in a dramatic treatment of the birth of Islam. I think it would be particularly useful to teachers teaching about this period of world history, as crucial elements can be presented easily in isolation on the DVD, whereas with the VHS version you would have some fearsome fast forwading to do. Dare I say this last part? I found the refusal to show Mohammed somewhat gimmicky. Whenever Mohammed is in a scene, the camera shifts to a point of view looking out of his eyes, accompanied by some eerie music to indicate the shift in perspective. I think they could have dealt with this in much the same way that "Ben Hur" dealt with showing Jesus. You saw his feet and hands in the frame, or his back, but his face was never shown. If he was turned toward the camera his face was in dark shadow. That, in my humble opinion, would have been a better technique for portraying Mohammed in this picture.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie
Review: This was a very good depiction of past islamic times. I thought the movie was extremely well executed. It had an excellent cast, and one should give Anthony Quinn a standing ovation for his great portrayal.
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