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Rendition (2007)

Director: Gavin Hood

Time Out rating

Average user rating

25 reviews

Synopsis

Spanning two continents, Rendition’s tense drama begins when an Egyptian terrorism suspect (Omar Metwalley) "disappears" on a flight from Africa to Washington. His pregnant American wife (Reese Witherspoon) embarks on a desperate mission to track him down and discover the reason for his vanishing act. A politically-connected friend (Peter Sarsgaard) uncovers the fact that her husband has been shipped off to a secret detention facility outside the US, where a CIA analyst (Jake Gyllenhaal) is suddenly forced to question his assignment as he becomes party to the man’s a brutal interrogation by secret North African police.

Movie review

From Time Out London

When an Egyptian-born, US-resident chemical engineer is spirited away by the CIA, the ramifications are varied. The prisoner (Omar Metwally) finds himself subjected to seriously enhanced questioning. His North African interrogator (Igar Naor) knows these ‘anti-terrorist’ tactics stir up the Islamic fundamentalists in his own (unnamed) state. The CIA observer (Jake Gyllenhaal), exposed to torture for the first time, has twinges of conscience, though back in Washington, his political master (Meryl Streep) experiences no such doubts, even when button-holed by a researcher (Peter Sarsgaard) helping the hostage’s distraught pregnant spouse (Reese Witherspoon). Although Kelley Sane’s screenplay never hides its liberal sympathies, all these shades of argument around the issue of ‘rendition’ get an airing, together with a telling reminder that this dubious practice was actually initiated under the Clinton administration.

So far, so impeccable, yet giving everyone their due means there’s a lot to pack in, resulting in characters which are often mere sketches and pacing which struggles to maintain momentum as we cut hither and yon. The settings are convincing, individual sequences striking (especially when Streep delivers another dragon-lady special), yet the whole is somehow less than the sum of its parts. Director Gavin Hood, the South African graduating from the biting, modest ‘Tsotsi’ to this highly resourced Hollywood production, started his career as a lawyer and is obviously aiming for balanced lucidity. But by underplaying the brutalities of interrogation, for instance, he actually drains much of the anger from the movie, and by the time the script’s contrived connections finally snap together, our interest has become slightly academic. A worthwhile but somewhat underwhelming effort, perhaps too level-headed for its own good.

Author: Trevor Johnston 2007-10-16 10:47:29

Time Out London Issue 1939: October 17-23 2007

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User reviews of this film

marko said...

Posted on Nov 01 2007 15:45 Very little action, lots of very quite scenes, semed to be very very long, dident engage me in the film, might have been due to the chap in front eating popcorn with his mouth open, or the anoraks who sat behind me with a carrier bag full of crinkely crisp packets. wouldent watch it again, just made me feel nothing much at all, some nice music and camera work..

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sue said...

Posted on Nov 01 2007 11:42 i thought this film managed to combine both excitement and thoughtfulness.

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josie said...

Posted on Oct 29 2007 23:46 this film deserves more than 3 stars... its very absorbing, full of great actors, has a terrific twist type thing towards the end and is very sympathetic to the different sides to the story. its upsetting and shot very realistically, definitely go and see this one.

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nickywire said...

Posted on Oct 29 2007 18:03 I never knew the sky was a prison,

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matthew said...

Posted on Oct 27 2007 20:28 Like my girlfriend's face

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matthew said...

Posted on Oct 26 2007 23:53 Dire

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Leigh said...

Posted on Oct 24 2007 21:15 This was a fantastic film, either for pure entertainment purposes, or more likely the topical nature of the film. It gives a great insight into the modern world in the current state of 'war on terror;. Performances by all members of the cast are billiant and, if watching for purely entertainment purposes, keeps you hanging on to the end. I, however enjoyed it more for the subject matter than the entertainment and it is by far one of the most 'real-life' thought provoking films I have seen in recent times. A must watch for anybody with a conscience.

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freddy fudpucker said...

Posted on Oct 24 2007 13:22 I guess so.

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chicken said...

Posted on Oct 21 2007 11:25 good. not bad at all. like to see more action though. but thats the guy i am

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Baby H* said...

Posted on Oct 19 2007 12:52 Reese is a comedy kind of woman, but the role she has done in this film was great. the film itself was good. i think if you wnat to watch a film this is one you need to pick.. Ta-Ra...

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