Can any film with Samuel L Jackson be a loser? Not in this viewer's book! Once again, the skilled actor, the ace of "intensity," delivers top-notch acting that appears worthy of Oscar notice.
The plot is simple, and I can share it without being a spoiler: SLJ is an expert in witness interrogation, and he is called in to help get information from a terrorist who claims he has planted three atomic bombs on U.S. soil. The viewer can only imagine the kind of expertise SLJ brings to his task....and it isn't very pretty!
The brilliance of this film is in its tightness: The plot evolves in a confined space, seeming more like a theatrical setting than a flick. But sometimes a restricted locale can create greater tension--like the prisoner being interrogated, we feel trapped.
My first reaction: Ugh! Who wants to see a suspect questioned...and, uh, more than slightly mistreated? Not so fast, cynics! This is a fantastic morality play. The plotlline tugs at our heartstrings, making us wonder, what really is our position on such creative activities as water-boarding? Do the ends ever justify the means? What would we do if we had to extract information from someone to save millions of lives?
Not for the faint-hearted. For the movie-goer who admires outstanding performances and appreciates a story that make us question our own values.
Watch Carrie Ann Moss shine as well.
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