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Review #551 of 365
Movie Review of Rendition (2007) [R] 120 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $14.25
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 22 October 2007
Time: 7:30 pm
DVD Release Date: 19 February 2008 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
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Directed by: Gavin Hood (Tsotsi)
Written by: Kelley Sane (Franchesca Page)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Omar Metwally (Munich) • Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line) • Jake Gyllenhaal (Zodiac) • Yigal Naor (Munich) • Moa Khouas (Munich) • Zineb Oukach (debut) • Meryl Streep (Evening) • Alan Arkin (The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause) • Peter Sarsgaard (Year of the Dog) • J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man 3) • David Fabrizio (Superman Returns) • Hassam Ghancy (Zaina: Rider of the Atlas) • Najib Oudghiri (Du même sang) • Omar Salim (debut)
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In no uncertain terms, Director Gavin Hood brings us a stirring and gut-checking film that commands attention. Knowing full well that the USA is far from perfect, most citizens do, but for more than 20 generations, people have grown up under a belief that by using fundamentally sound abiding principles as outlined in the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights all of which speak to greater truths which hold themselves to be self-evident, we would never find ourselves, our military, our government on the wrong side of things. However, fear of Communism (which was never proven to be a real threat to the sovereignty of the United States) and now fear of terrorism has caused our legislators elected and appointed to diminish our rights and to take our government and military down paths our Founding Fathers would most certainly find both horrifying and devastating to the principles under which the nation was founded. This very desperate and sad road is brought home by Kelley Sane's script and under Gavin Hood's pointed direction in the film Rendition so-named after a program called Extraordinary Rendition—a program started under the Clinton administration and then thought to have been vastly expanded under the George W. Bush administration. The story begins with a suicide terrorist attack in a crowded city square in some unnamed North African city. CIA analyst, Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his colleague, William Dixon (David Fabrizio) are about to meet with the director of a local prison and witness interrogation center by the name of Abasi Fawal (Yigal Naor). The explosion goes off when they are stuck in traffic, and shrapnel kills Dixon within the car almost instantly. The target of the bombing was Abasi whose work is not appreciated by radicals who use terror as their weapon.
"… powerful and shocking."
Douglas is put in place as Dixon's replacement despite his obvious lack of experience in the leadership role. CIA team leader, Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep) has concerns about his promotion, but there are no other options. Shortly after the bombing, Rashid Salimi (Omar Salim) and his group claim responsibility for the attack. Using special methods, the CIA attributes calls from a number attributed to Salimi to an Egyptian Citizen and USA Green card-approved Anwar El-Ibrahimi's (Omar Metwally) cell phone. He boards a plane in South Africa where's he been attending a conference for chemical engineers. Upon landing in Washington, D.C., however, he find himself taken, hooded, and locked away for transport. Meanwhile, his very pregnant wife, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon) and son await he arrival in Chicago. He never arrives. She discovers quickly that the government isn't going to help her much, and they claim he never got on the plane in South Africa in the first place. In the meantime, back in North Africa, Abasi Fawal's daughter Fatima (Zineb Oukach) has been working hard to get out from under her father's thumb to spend time with Khalid (Moa Khouas). They are in love, but her father won't hear of it. He has arranged her marriage. She's resentful and thinks she loves Khalid. She runs away from home to stay with her Aunt, and when her Aunt goes out of town on business, she sneaks off to live with Khalid. Back in the USA, an interrogation of Anwar leads no where fast. He claims he's never met Salimi and has nothing to do with any terrorist attacks. While the interrogator, Lee Mayer, doubts Anwar El-Ibrahimi is involved, Corrine Whitman doesn’t want to take any chances. Anwar is then packaged and flown to the very same North African nation for interrogation by Abasi. His methods are nothing short of blatant torture; and, as Isabella enlists the help of a former college buddy, Alan Smith (Peter Skarsgaard) now asst. to U.S. Senator Hawkins (Alan Arkin) to find out what has happened to her husband, Douglas is forced into the horrendous position of having to witness Anwar's torture at the hands of Abassi. Anwar continues to claim to know nothing because, actually, he doesn't know anything. No one is sure if he's lying, and the longer it drags on the more doubts that he might be creep up. Unfortunately, around the same time, Abassi has to confront the sad reality that his daughter is missing and nowhere to be found.
With its interlocking stories of the three parties impacted by the bombing playing tricks with your mind throughout the entire movie, Rendition, has an approximate effect of inducing the same sorts of paranoia that doubtless would cause any one of us to act our very worst, and it is such times that should cause us to shake ourselves and say, "What am I doing?" On the surface, Rendition is a taught political thriller. Below, however, it is a biting and scathing look at the consequences of authorized fear and the ineffectiveness of torture—which has never been proven an effective means of getting information. Ironically, since most of the people involved in the terror attacks feel justified and willing to die for the cause, it would seem all the less likely that torture would work. The film also brings to life the notion, in brutal, confrontational terms that there may be precious little in difference between preaching to convert young men to radical terrorism than there is in allowing fear of terrorism to justify the revocation of the most strongly held societal beliefs, rights, and checks and balances. The expression that the "ends justify the means" is often used in debates on such subjects with the idea here being that if even one person is saved, then the methodology used to obtain information is irrelevant.
"… demonstrate[s] the problems on both sides with blindly following and placing faith in people that would see you die for their cause by making their cause your cause."
The film forces, however, for us to take a look at this notion and ask the pertinent question, "If we have to sacrifice all our principles in order to save people, what exactly are we saving?" There is also a logical misstep made in this thinking. On top of minimizing the impact of core values, it prevents the analysis that could get to the root of the problem and, perhaps, promote change, desired peace, and flourishing international and domestic relations. It is obvious from the film that no one is taking any time to understand the reasons for the radical terrorism. The government of the USA is willing to sacrifice all due process guaranteed by the Constitution that should be afforded to Mr. El-Ibrahimi in order to attempt to get information out of him by any means. The rights of the Constitution and Bill of Rights were put in place precisely to prevent the government from doing just this exact sort of thing because governments in the past had done such things, falsely accuse people, and then sentenced them to death for nefarious reasons. What exactly does it say, then if the government, without the will of the people, approves and throws out such laws or rights? What does it say also if the government uses fear of whatever they choose to use, to convince people to give up their rights? Wise people have observed that one should never give up rights because they will be far harder to ever regain, and one should be wary of people trying to convince you to give up your rights especially if they are telling you it's in your best interest. Immigrants have come to the United States for over 200 years to escape totalitarian, repressive, fear-based governments because they believed in the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. The film, Rendition, should give all of us reason to pause and ask if this fear-based leadership which allows for things like this to happen is what we envisioned for America in the 21st century?
As far as the film's technical side goes it is powerful and shocking. The three stories demonstrate the problems on both sides with blindly following and placing faith in people that would see you die for their cause by making their cause your cause. Omar Metwally stands out for his ability to play the tortured Anwar. For most of the film, he's been deprived of his clothing to further subject him to the dehumanizing process. He takes on the role with dignity and shows the defiance that most people would probably show in his circumstances. Unfortunately, defiance just leads to more torture. It does not seem to persuade the captors that one is innocent. Reese Witherspoon is adequate to the task of her role, but her role is too limited, likewise, almost for Meryl Streep. The greatest living actress plays the CIA director with strength and misguided power. Her rightful indignation when questioned about the legitimacy of her operations are swiftly dismissed by her minute résumé of success. Jake Gyllenhaal probably has the second most complex role to play, and he does an outstanding job. Often without much dialog, he is brilliant at showing how he really feels amidst this new position which forces his own reality as well as morality check. After him, Yigal Naor, plays Abasi Fawal with bulldog-like prowess. He moves effortlessly from interrogation chamber to the frantic search for his missing daughter. His character, unfortunately, never is given an opportunity to reflect upon the events of his life once they finally unfold. And, then there are the star-crossed lovers of Fatima and Khalid. Khalid is hiding a very dark secret from Fatima, but the two actors: Zineb Oukach and Moa Khouas play their roles with doey-eyed precision promoting anger, regret, and sadness when the conclusion comes forth.
Gavin Hood made some deft political choices with the film. By not staging it in any particular city, he diverted specific attention away from the particulars and right at the problem itself.
"… rises to the occasion in helping to illustrate and remind of the importance of sticking to principles and not sacrificing them for convenience or false promises of quick fixes."
The film is careful in some areas while being quite poignant in others. The ending is gratifying while delivering the messages of tragedy. Overall, the film rises to the occasion in helping to illustrate and remind of the importance of sticking to principles and not sacrificing them for convenience or false promises of quick fixes.
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Cast Members
Omar Metwally • Reese Witherspoon • Jake Gyllenhaal
Yigal Naor • Moa Khouas • Zineb Oukach
Meryl Streep • Alan Arkin • Peter Sarsgaard
J.K. Simmons • Omar Salim • Hassam Ghancy
Director
Gavin Hood
Writer
Kelley Sane
Review-lite
Rendition (2007) [max of 150 words]
Director Gavin Hood using a script by Kelley Sane brings to light a secret government program called 'Extraordinary Rendition'. In the film Rendition, starring Meryle Streep, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Reese Witherspoon three interlocking stories are told detailing what happens in the aftermath of a terrorist bombing when an innocent man is taken for interrogation in connection to the bombing. The film stands out as a wake up call to cause everyone to question when, if ever, giving in to fear and sacrificing core values to save lives is a good idea. The shocking ending forces everyone involved to reconsider the operations. Jake Gyllenhaal and Omar Metwally were the cast standouts.
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