Profile is a 2018 thriller movie directed by Timur Bekmambetov and takes inspiration from a book penned by Anna Erelle titled “In The Skin of a Jihadist”. In this movie, we meet London-based journalist Amy Whittaker, who decides, under the suggestion of one of her editors at her publication, to start creating a fake profile to pose as a Muslim woman sympathizing with the Islamic State cause at the height of the conflict during the Syrian Civil War.
What ensues is a thrilling tale of a Western woman getting familiar with a radicalized Muslim man who traveled to the Syrian conflict areas and their exchanges as she tries to get information on how it is that the Islamic State uses social media to recruit women into their cause. Today, we’re going to dig deep into the plot to uncover what’s behind it and get a sense of the movie’s conclusion.
Profile Plot
Amy Whittaker is a London-based journalist 2014 who, after a few dialogues with her editorial staff at the publication where she works, decides to pose as a Muslim-converted woman seeking to meet and engage in a relationship with a radical Muslim man in Syria at the height of the Syrian Civil War, right in a moment where that terrorist organization was conducting a grooming program to seduce young females to travel to Syria and Iraq and become Jihadi brides.
Amy is in a relationship with a man in England, but she keeps her journalistic work behind her. She gets a hijab and has a few coaching sessions with her publication’s IT expert to record the encounters she’s going to have with the jihadists and goes deep into the world of online extremism.
She sees those shocking execution videos and engages in several exchanges with Bilel, a radical Muslim fighting for ISIS in Syria. Amy navigates the complexities of that double life in which she’s engaging. She begins to understand the manipulative grooming tactics that Bilel and other ISIS fighters use to groom and radicalize young women.
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Amy & Bilel
As Amy’s online interactions with Bilel escalate, her façade begins to crumble, and Bilel realizes that Amy is playing him. It is here where director Timur Bekmambetov uses clever edition and cinematography, showing us Amy’s computer screen and phone devices, exploring themes of deception, vulnerability, and moral dilemmas faced by Amy as a journalist when she’s tasked with such a dangerous assignment.
Moreover, the director takes us even deeper as it showcases in a unique way the potential consequences of Amy becoming emotionally invested in a story that could risk her life.
Profile Movie Ending Explained
“Profile” concludes with a tense and climactic resolution that unveils the dark consequences of Amy Whittaker’s risky investigation into ISIS recruitment. Bilal finds out that Amy’s tricking him and sends out a jihadi video doxxing her and asking jihadists to torture and kill her.
Despite the risks, Amy manages to outwit Bilel and unveil his malicious intentions to her I.T. friend Lou, who translates a crucial Arabic conversation. This pivotal moment provides a crucial turning point, allowing Amy to understand the depth of Bilel’s intentions to exploit her for sex trafficking
As the film reaches its climax, Amy’s nervous, but she manages to get all the information concerning the ISIS recruiting network, and she pressures her editor to push the story, which the publication does, exposing the ISIS grooming ring. The authorities put behind bars six ISIS operatives working in England, and Amy had to change her name and address to avoid being the victim of some jihadi revenge plot.
The movie’s ending highlights the dangers of undercover journalism in the digital age. Amy’s emotionally charged connection with Bilel, combined with her increasing involvement in his world, places her in a perilous situation. The revelation of her true identity not only jeopardizes her safety but also exposes her personal life to a dangerous extremist network.
The ending of “Profile” emphasizes the complexity of Amy’s journey, from her initial curiosity and emotional involvement to her ultimate determination to expose the truth. It serves as a thought-provoking exploration of the blurred boundaries between journalistic duty and personal risk, offering a gripping conclusion to a suspenseful and intense thriller.
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