By Charles Kirkland Jr.
Egypt’s most beloved actor, George Fahmy, finds himself unwillingly thrust into the murky heart of political power in Eagles of the Republic, the gripping final installment of Tarik Saleh’s Cairo trilogy.
Commissioned by the highest authorities to star in a government-sponsored propaganda film, Fahmy initially resists, only to be forced into compliance by powerful and ruthless forces within the regime. George finds himself drawn like a moth to flame into a dangerous affair with the enigmatic wife of the general overseeing the production.
Written and directed by Tarik Saleh, Eagles of the Republic had its world premiere in the main competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or. It also featured prominently at the Toronto International Film Festival as a Centrepiece selection. The film follows in the politically charged footsteps of The Nile Hilton Incident (2017), winner of Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize, and Cairo Conspiracy (Boy from Heaven, 2022), which won Best Screenplay at Cannes.
Fares Fares returns once more as Saleh’s leading man, this time portraying George Fahmy, an aging matinee idol obsessed with protecting his professional legacy. But when his real legacy, his son, is threatened, George must choose between his career and his conscience. Fares delivers a masterful performance, embodying both the effortless charm of a national treasure and the deep vulnerabilities of a man cornered by forces beyond his control. His portrayal is arguably his richest yet in the trilogy, imbuing the film with a palpable sense of paranoia and dread that mirrors the oppressive political climate Saleh captures so deftly.
Visually, Eagles of the Republic is sleek and striking, with cinematography that reflects the sterile beauty and silent menace of modern Egyptian power structures. Saleh’s direction is sharp, though intentionally uneven in pacing. The first half unfolds with frenetic urgency, echoing the disorienting speed at which one can be drawn into the labyrinth of state politics. The second half, by contrast, slows dramatically as the noose tightens around George, forcing the audience to sit with the suffocating consequences of complicity and betrayal.
Despite its potent themes and assured style, the film stumbles somewhat in its final act. The plot becomes tangled, and some of its narrative momentum is lost. Nevertheless, Eagles of the Republic remains a bold, compelling political thriller, one that mixes biting satire with genuine suspense. Though not as narratively tight as its predecessors, it’s a fitting, if flawed, conclusion to Saleh’s powerful trilogy examining Egypt’s complex and often dangerous political reality.
Grade: C