At the outset, Malik is a petty ineffectual Arab criminal taking his place in prison, where rival gangs divided along ethnic lines fight for the power to rule. Malik falls under the domination of the tough Corsican contingent leader César Luciani (Niels Arestrup), and is ordered to kill a tightly secured prisoner scheduled to be a witness in a trial. Malik would like to resist, but can’t and the path to getting access is detailed, culminating in the brutal killing that establishes Malik’s standing.

“A Prophet” not only dramatizes the violence that exists within prison walls, but the way in which the convicts carry on their criminal activities beyond the walls from their commanding positions and outside connections. Malik becomes important when he gets leaves to improve his education, and uses these leaves as part of the criminal operations tied to those behind bars. His advance as a criminal gradually gives him the sense of self-worth that he lacked when first entering prison.

The deeds in which he becomes involved are too complex to summarize here—you can follow them on screen—but the brutality in carrying them out can make one cringe. Meanwhile, the balance has been shifting in the prison. The increase of Muslim convicts is putting the Corsicans in a minority position, and by the time the film is over, the balance has radically altered. One can possibly take this as a metaphor for changing balances in France itself.