Once we see Mona Zaki preparing for a trip, we find ourselves on the edge of our seats. Why, you ask? Just remember what happened to her in the US adventure in ‘Le’bet Newton,’ the delegation to Switzerland in ‘Taymour and Shafika,’ and the intense experience she had in Damietta in her latest series ‘Taht El Wessaya.’
Do we still need to explain why we’re feeling anxious after seeing the poster and trailer of her newest film, ‘Rehla 404’? This time, her ‘repented sinner’ character embarks on a spiritual and religious trip, heading to perform Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
But why are we intrigued by this movie, which is coming in Egyptian theatres on January 25th and in the Arab region on February 1st? There are lots of reasons.
First, we’re unsure whether Mona Zaki will actually board the plane and head to Saudi Arabia, which remains a lingering question (that we’ll guess its answer by the end) from the trailer. Speaking of the trailer, it’s the second reason, by the way, so let’s dig into the piece.
The Suspenseful Trailer
Trailers can make or break a movie. Does Zaki’s Rehla 404 lean toward the former or the latter? It’s definitely a ‘make.’
We’re all in for the suspense as we watch Mona’s character, Ghada, prepping herself for an immaculate religious trip to Saudi Arabia, but her ‘tainted’ past starts looking back at her.
Apparently, she finds herself in a pickle (that we’re yet to know its details), so she seeks help from old ‘wicked’ acquaintances who don’t wish her much ‘good’ – as we glimpsed from the trailer.
The Three ‘Newton-EERS’ Meet Again
It’s not déjà vu – you’ve actually seen the trio of Mona Zaki, Mohamed Farag, and Mohamed Mamdouh working together in Tamer Mohsen’s masterpiece ‘Le’bet Newton.’
We still don’t fully grasp the dynamics between the characters in ‘Rehla 404,’ but its trailer portrays Farag and Mamdouh as probable vicious antagonists. In all ways, we can’t forget their chemistry back in Ramadan 2021, so we couldn’t be more excited to enjoy the trio on the silver screen in ‘Rehla 404.’
The Director-Writer Combo
This ‘404 error’ was born from the unique minds of ‘Foq Mostwata el Shobohat,’ ‘El Hesab Yegma’a,’ and ‘Al Layla Wa Elly Feeha’ creators, Director Hany Khalifa and Writer Mohamed Ragaa.
In 2022, the audience was low-key surprised by the idea behind Zeina’s intense six-episode series, ‘Al Layla Wa Elly Feeha,’ especially since it tackled what we can say is a ‘taboo’ topic.
As we know this duo, we expect exhilarating visuals from Khalifa’s artistic eyes and mind-blowing plotlines courtesy of Ragaa’s little gray cells.
We also just want to throw in this fact: Zaki’s 404 error journey has an 18+insignia on it, and we watched ‘Al Layla Wa Elly Feeha’; you do the math!
The Story Itself: Old Sins Have Long Shadows
Saudi Arabia? A journey to Hajj? A probable ‘repentant’ sinner? Veiled Mona Zaki? Her past coming back to haunt her?
You can’t deny that’s some spicy and controversial mix, especially after Zaki’s last controversial piece that caused a huge backlash, ‘Ashab Wala Aaez.’
Do we think ‘Rehla 404’ will stir a similar reaction one more time? We’ll find out soon.
Last But Not Least: Mona Zaki
An actress who has effortlessly positioned herself as one of the most talented, hard-working, and captivating stars in the industry, Zaki’s compelling, versatile, and unexpected portrayal of characters is always welcome in our TV guide.
Guessing The Answer: Will Mona’s Character Start A New Page?
So, we reached the part that you’ve all been waiting for: Will Mona Zaki successfully board her plane to Mecca and perform Haj, starting a new chapter in her life?
At the time of writing this piece, no one really knows (besides the creators and crew), but if we look at the whole project from a bird-eye view, we can give you a guess: The ending will remain hanging; we’ll never know whether she will board the plane.
Considering the time (years) it took for the project to come to life, the reasons mentioned above, especially the unexpected brains and stars behind the movie, we’re guessing it’s a thought-provoking open ending.
