Rendition
Rendition (2007)
Starring - Risse Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhall, Omar Metwally, Alan Arkin, Merryll Streep
Directed by - Gavin Hood
If you want a spine-chilling critique of US Governemnt policy, forget Michael Moore's over the top Liberal rants, forget the wars on Iraq or Afghanistan, watch this film instead. It in clear terms demonstrates the errors of Rendition, apolciy where suspected terrorists are shipped out of the country and sent somehere where the normal laws of justice are rendered irrelevant.
This film runs two plots concurrently. on one hand there is Anwar, an Egyptian who had lived in the US for over 20 years, suspected of having terrorist links, he is arrested but knowing the evidence against him is flimsy, in order to detain him he is sent to a brutal prison abroad. His treatment is 'observed' by Douglas (Jake Gyllenhall), a man who has taken over the role after his colleague was killed by a suicide bombing that takes place at the start of the film. Anwar's treatment, Douglas' battle doing his duty dispite having deep misgivings about what is going on, and Anwar's pregant wife (Risee Witherspoon) who is desperately trying to find out from politicans who are closing all doors to the truth are the first part of the plot that unfolds, lead by Miss Whitman. (Merryl Streep)
The second part of the plot is based in the middle-east. Linked with the rest as a result of Abasi, father of the family featured is the lead interrigator of Anwar once he arrives. On the home front he is trying to deal with his wayward daughter who has fallen in love with, against her fathers will, a man who is a part of a terrorist cell, willing to use suicide bombings to further their aims. When the two stories come together, a series of issues combine to create indirect consequences for all involved.
The acting on behalf of the lead male characters is very powerful, especially Gyllenahll who displays huge emotional depth in the development of his observer role, while maintaing his frail humanity, as he also makes a few mistakes along the way. Streep and Witherspoon do fall a little flat however, meaning the part of the story set in America was the the weaker link of the film. There are so many messages about what Rendition creates, about how it can actally cost and not always save lives and how it can direct resources into the wrong areas with desperate consequences. It is not one sided however, the terrorist cells depicted in the film are not held back, their poisoness ideology is shown in it's full twisted glory some the scenes of local leaders making powerful speeches and to young, impressionable men about martyrdom and destroying all 'infidels' meaning any non-muslim as they see it created a powerful reminder of what the west is up against, and why a policy like rendition can play right into the hands of the extreams.
This is a hugely powerful film overall, well worth going to see. So many messages, so many clever, subtle points, so many wonderful links to the jigsaw. A long hard look at the weaknesses of all sides of the argument, and a far better analysis of where the west have got it wrong than any march about Iraq. When the rules of justice are disregarded, bad things happen, watch this film and you may just find out why.
MOON OF LIBERTY VERDICT - Rating 'A' - A very special film on so many levels, had it not been for the weakensses of the female performances in the part set in the US, this would have been in my elite band of A+ films.
