We can't help but feel there were some missed opporunities in 'Masameer: the Movie' (2020)
We can't help but feel there were some missed opporunities in 'Masameer: the Movie' (2020)
We can't help but feel there were some missed opporunities in 'Masameer: the Movie' (2020)
We can't help but feel there were some missed opporunities in 'Masameer: the Movie' (2020)

'Masameer: The Movie': Is the Saudi animation lagging behind by a decade?


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

When Masameer, the mini-series, first launched online in 2011, there was nothing quite like it. It touched on issues unique to the region in a fresh and hilarious way. But the movie seems like it is still confronting the Saudi society of the early 2010s, neglecting the change that has swept the country over the past two years, which presents a whole new set of material to work with.

The movie seems like it is still confronting Saudi society of the early 2010s, neglecting the change that has swept the country over the past two years

Masameer could have provided a great, comical insight to contemporary Saudi society. However, it misses that opportunity.

Even if you haven't seen the the mini-series that the film is based on, the peculiarities of each character are quickly apparent. Ten minutes into the film, which was released on Netflix earlier this week, and you will likely silently swear to follow the characters on whatever journey they're on because the first part of Masameer sets up a promising animation for adults.

But the rest of the film, with its aimless turns and rusty character arcs, will leave you lamenting how much potential was missed.

'Masameer: the Movie' (2020) follows a group of superheroes in Saudi Arabia.
'Masameer: the Movie' (2020) follows a group of superheroes in Saudi Arabia.

The animation for grown-ups genre can be an excellent tool for social commentary. Think of the The Simpsons, with its scathing take on American society, South Park with its polemic on pop culture or BoJack Horseman's exploration of mental health and celebrity status.

Whether as a series or film, the genre can take on topical issues, while walking that delicate line between critical thought and being preachy.

Masameer lacks that depth.

The film starts off with a scene that shows shawarmas and falafel sandwiches being prepared for delivery. There’s no shortage of glee at watching the animated shawarma spit being turned and sliced, not to mention the falafel balls being dropped in to the oil of a deep fryer. It all looks as good and appetising as the real thing. After the sandwiches are wrapped and bagged, a delivery man takes them across Riyadh on his motorcycle.

The city, with its tall glass skyscrapers, palm trees and the 99-storey Kingdom Centre, looks spectacular in cartoon.

But even before the film's title hits the screen and the delivery man has reached the address of Masameer's protagonists, we pass by a billboard advertising the Saudi Telecom Company. Product placement in films and series across the world are common, but it later starts to seem as though the logos of STC and Herfy, a fast food chain in Saudi Arabia, get as much screen as any of the main characters.

Masameer: The Movie has a set of quirky and droll characters, many of whom you may recognise from its original mini-series. Three friends – Saad, Saltooh and Kalb – are societal outliers, living in a run-down cafeteria in an affluent Riyadh neighbourhood. There's Dana, an artificial intelligence researcher who has created a robot that takes orders far too literally. Then there's Captain D, the egotistical leader of the Saudi superheroes, and the villainous Bandar, who is set on unleashing a biological weapon on Riyadh.

The movie’s plot begins to take shape when Saad, Saltooh and Kalb are forced out of their cafeteria and home. They are told by a government official that the neighbours have been complaining about the cafeteria’s dilapidated state, which is causing property prices in the area to drop.

However, the trio find hope and purpose again after they stumble upon an invitation to a conference, which gives people the chance to join a renowned Saudi superhero group.

Meanwhile, Dana, whose AI presentation goes horribly wrong after her robot sets her superior’s car on fire, decides on trying out for the group as well.

In the film's first 30 minutes, it hilariously challenges societal issues in a new, unique way. But, what comes after that, for the most part, feels like an ambling and outdated piece of work.

Aside from a few surprising elements, which I won't ruin for you here, I couldn't shake the feeling that Masameer was out of its depth and fared far better as a beloved YouTube show.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions

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James Mustich, Workman

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Tickets

Tickets for the 2019 Asian Cup are available online, via www.asiancup2019.com

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

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Company%20profile
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Barbie
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War and the virus
What should do investors do now?

What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor? 

Should I be euphoric?

No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.

So what happened?

It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.

"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."

Should I buy? Should I sell?

Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.

"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.

All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.

Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.

Will the rally last?

No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.

"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."

Brief scores:

Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first

Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)

Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14

Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)

Perera 47; Sohail 2-18

All%20The%20Light%20We%20Cannot%20See%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match on BeIN Sports

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:

1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition

The%20Iron%20Claw
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sean%20Durkin%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zac%20Efron%2C%20Jeremy%20Allen%20White%2C%20Harris%20Dickinson%2C%20Maura%20Tierney%2C%20Holt%20McCallany%2C%20Lily%20James%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

Kibsons%20Cares
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERecycling%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3EAny%20time%20you%20receive%20a%20Kibsons%20order%2C%20you%20can%20return%20your%20cardboard%20box%20to%20the%20drivers.%20They%E2%80%99ll%20be%20happy%20to%20take%20it%20off%20your%20hands%20and%20ensure%20it%20gets%20reused%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EKind%20to%20health%20and%20planet%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESolar%20%E2%80%93%2025-50%25%20of%20electricity%20saved%3Cbr%3EWater%20%E2%80%93%2075%25%20of%20water%20reused%3Cbr%3EBiofuel%20%E2%80%93%20Kibsons%20fleet%20to%20get%2020%25%20more%20mileage%20per%20litre%20with%20biofuel%20additives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESustainable%20grocery%20shopping%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENo%20antibiotics%3Cbr%3ENo%20added%20hormones%3Cbr%3ENo%20GMO%3Cbr%3ENo%20preservatives%3Cbr%3EMSG%20free%3Cbr%3E100%25%20natural%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15

Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered

UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered

Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered

Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered

Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered

Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered

The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Benioff%2C%20D%20B%20Weiss%2C%20Alexander%20Woo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBenedict%20Wong%2C%20Jess%20Hong%2C%20Jovan%20Adepo%2C%20Eiza%20Gonzalez%2C%20John%20Bradley%2C%20Alex%20Sharp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Little Things

Directed by: John Lee Hancock

Starring: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto

Four stars