Fifteen minutes into Hwjn, I'm worried that Ibraheem Abbas’s fantasy romance novel should never have been adapted.
Directed by Yasir Alyasiri, who co-wrote the screenplay for the Saudi blockbuster with Abbas, the opening salvo of Hwjn packs in so much information that the film nearly stalls before its plot has even started moving.
Hwjn, pronounced "haw-jen", begins by depicting a stereotypical jinn, or evil genie. However, as it turns out, the film's protagonist Hwjn (Baraa Alem) is only watching a movie in a cinema. Over narration, he goes on to reveal how jinn have families and jobs like humans. They can co-exist in the world with humans.
But while jinn can look at humans, humans can't see them and communication between the two is forbidden.
With the ancient rules established, the film focuses on Hwjn, who looks 20 but is actually 92.
He shares a home with his mother and grandfather on the outskirts of Jeddah. Soon, the Abdulraheem family – humans – move in and he falls in love with their only daughter Sawsan (Nour Alkhadra). When she begins to feel Hwjn’s presence, he decides to use an iPad and Ouija board to communicate with her.
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Sawsan’s inability to see Hwjn isn’t the only complication to their potential relationship. She already has a boyfriend, fellow medical student Eyad (Mohsen Mansoor), and is suffering from a brain tumour.
Meanwhile, the evil Master Xanam (Naif Aldaferi) learns Hwjn is secretly jinn royalty. Xanam needs Hwjn to marry his sister Jumara (Alanoud Saud) to ensure his own safety.
Xanam puts a curse on Sawsan and blackmails Hwjn into marrying Jumara so they can have a child, who will be the “chosen one".
After this, Hwjn is taken to the jinn’s land and is stuck between two warring tribes fighting to take over the world. Here, he is propelled to fulfil his destiny while simultaneously trying to save Sawsan.
Once Hwjn has finally established its world, the story steams ahead thanks to the chemistry between Alem and Alkhadra. There’s a sweetness to their connection, especially since they both feel so alienated in their own worlds.
Alyasiri deserves credit for taking his time to develop their bond. He’s also not afraid to showcase how their growing feelings for each other impact the likeable supporting characters around them.
The film is helped by a fine supporting cast, each of whom can elevate what is at times a cheesy and melodramatic script. Khaled Alkamaar's original score, which is influenced by the work of John Williams, also helps to add weight to scenes.
Hwjn’s fantasy inspirations are pretty obvious throughout, as it swings from feeling like Harry Potter to Star Wars, with Dune thrown in for good measure, too. However, it is adept at putting its own spin on the genre, too, while ensuring heroes and villains feel authentic.
By the end, Hwjn manages to inject a pathos that most other family-friendly blockbusters avoid, as well as remaining hopeful. It also feels refreshing because its finale is swift and modest in manner, unlike the elongated slugfests that round out titles of this ilk in Hollywood.
Those who find obvious dialogue and blatant exposition grating will have to ignore much of its script. Plus, there are also moments where sub-par visual effects take viewers out of the storytelling.
However, there's more to like than dislike in Hwjn, which, unsurprisingly, leaves the door open for sequels.
Now that the hard work of laying down its narrative foundations is out of the way, and with a young and well-cast ensemble at its disposal, there’s every chance its potential successors will thrive, too.
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
UAE SQUAD
Ahmed Raza (Captain), Rohan Mustafa, Jonathan Figy, CP Rizwan, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Usman, Basil Hameed, Zawar Farid, Vriitya Aravind (WK), Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Darius D'Silva, Chirag Suri
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE%20SQUAD
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)
Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)
Sunday
Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)
Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)
Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)
Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)
The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
About Krews
Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
Race card
4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m
5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections:
4pm Zabardast
4.35pm Ibn Malik
5.10pm Space Blues
5.45pm Kimbear
6.20pm Barney Roy
6.55pm Matterhorn
7.30pm Defoe
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