How to watch The Mauritanian online: stream award-winning Jodie Foster movie anywhere

(Image credit: SFX)

On August 4, 2002, the US government imprisoned Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Muslim man, at its notorious Guantanamo Bay detention camp on baseless allegations that he was the head recruiter behind the 9/11 attacks. The Mauritanian, which is based on memoirs that Slahi secretly wrote while imprisoned, chronicles his extraordinary struggle for freedom against all odds. Read on as we explain how to watch The Mauritanian online, wherever you are in the world right now.

How to watch The Mauritanian online

VOD release date: March 2, 2021 (US)

Director: Kevin Macdonald

Cast: Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch

Run time: 2 hours 9 minutes

Rating: R

Stream now: Buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video

Watch anywhere: try a 100% risk-free VPN trial

Slahi would be detained there for 14 years, without trial, charge or evidence, all the while being abused and subjected to a sickening array of inhumane torture methods.

The Mauritanian shines a light on some of the seldom discussed recent horrors of the US government's war on terror, as the authorities threw out the basic rule of law in their pursuit of revenge.

Golden Globe nominee Tahar Rahim stars as Mohamedou Ould Slahi, opposite Golden Globe winner Jodie Foster as defense attorney Nancy Hollander. Hollander and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) advocated for Slahi in his fight for justice against the might of the US government, which used torture to build a case against him.

The formidable Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch) was assigned to prosecute Slahi but - after learning what he was being put through in order to extract a confession, including sexual abuse, exposure to extreme temperatures, beatings, sleep deprivation and threats of death - the disturbing realities of one of the darkest episodes of American history is revealed to the world.

Read on as we explain how to watch The Mauritanian online and stream the award-winning film today. It's widely available on streaming platforms including Amazon Prime Video, which offers a free 30-day trial - though as a brand new movie, The Mauritanian is a PVOD release for now.

Related: all the best Amazon Prime shows

How to watch The Mauritanian from outside your country

Unfortunately, if you’re out of your country of residence for whatever reason, then geo-blocks will prevent you from connecting to your streaming services and content back home.

Luckily, there’s a simple fix. Downloading a VPN will let you to change your IP address to that of any country in the world: meaning you can access your preferred VOD platform online from anywhere – just like you would in your own living room.

Use a VPN to watch The Mauritanian online from anywhere

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How to watch The Mauritanian online in the US

In the US, you can watch The Mauritanian online on a number of VOD platforms including Amazon Prime Video from Tuesday, March 2.

However, as a premium video on-demand (PVOD) release, note that The Mauritanian isn't included as part of the vast Prime Video library that you get with a free 30-day Prime trial.

Instead, you have to pay to stream the movie and it's priced similarly to going to the movies - around $20 based on previous PVOD releases.

While that FREE 30-day Amazon Prime trial might not get you The Mauritanian just yet, it does entitle you to loads of top-notch entertainment, exclusive deals, and premium delivery. If you decide you like it and want to keep it, Prime costs $12.99 per month or $119 for a year.

The Mauritanian will also available on a PVOD basis from other big-name platforms from March 2, including Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft Store, Fandango Now, Vudu and AMC Theatres On Demand.

Don’t forget that if you’re abroad and want to watch The Mauritanian on Prime, a quality VPN like ExpressVPN will let you tune in as normal, no matter where in the world you are.

How to watch The Mauritanian online in Canada today

Just like our friends south of the border, Canadians can rent The Mauritanian on a PVOD (premium video on-demand) basis through Amazon from Tuesday, March 2.

Prices are yet to be revealed, but we'd hazard a guess at the $20-$25 mark.

While The Mauritanian doesn't come included as part of a Prime subscription, as ever Amazon's service offers a FREE 30-day Prime Video trial, so you can watch everything else it has to offer without paying a cent.

After that, a subscription costs just $7.99 per month, or $79 if you want to commit to a year.

And remember, even if you're abroad you can watch The Mauritanian from anywhere if you download a good VPN and follow our instructions above.

How to watch The Mauritanian: UK release date and streaming details

UK-based film buffs need to wait a little longer for The Mauritanian, which will be available as a PVOD release on Amazon Prime Video from Thursday, April 1.

Its price is yet to be revealed, but as it's a premium video on-demand release, renting The Mauritanian will be roughly comparable to the cost of cinema tickets - we'd estimate something around the £15-£20 mark.

Amazon, of course, also offers a streaming service that costs £79 per year or £7.99 per month, but new users can sign up for a FREE 30-day Amazon Prime trial with full access to live sports coverage, Amazon's library of TV shows and films as well as free one-day delivery on purchases from Amazon's online store during that time.

Not in the UK but still want to watch The Mauritanian and tap into the streaming services you normally use (and pay for) at home? Your best option is to download and install a VPN and then log in to a UK IP address.

How to watch The Mauritanian online in Australia: release date and streaming details

The Mauritanian is coming to Australia as a PVOD release on Wednesday, March 24, and you'll be able to rent it through Amazon.

As it's a premium video on-demand release, you'll need to pay to rent it and you'll have to watch it within a designated window - usually 48 hours. Prices are yet to be revealed, but we'd estimate that The Mauritanian will cost around $20-$25, based on other recent PVOD releases.

Amazon also has a streaming service, which offers the famous FREE 30-day Amazon Prime trial includes numerous perks including top-notch entertainment, exclusive deals, and premium delivery. Once it's over a subscription costs $6.99 per month or $59 for the year.

If you're not in Australia right now, you'll need to download a VPN to access The Mauritanian, which means you'll be able to watch your favorite movies and TV shows wherever you go.

Aatif is a freelance copywriter and journalist based in the UK. He’s written about technology, science and politics for publications including Gizmodo, The Independent, Trusted Reviews and Newsweek, but focuses on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: sport and penny-pinching.