The Review

Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Mosaic

Media Credit: New Line Cinema

"Rendition"
New Line Cinema
Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 4)

Between the presidential race and claims that America has tortured detainees in the past, 'tis the season for politically-charged films. With the current state of the country's political landscape, "Rendition" could not have been released at a better time.

The film tells the gripping story of Anwar, an Egyptian American who has been illegally taken into custody by the government on the suspicion of being connected with terrorists. While he is being held and tortured at an undisclosed location outside the United States, his pregnant wife (Reese Witherspoon) attempts to fight her way up the political hierarchy of the government to find her husband.

Along with the film's impeccable political timing, the plot presents a shockingly real depiction of interrogation and its harms and potential benefits.

Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as Douglas Freeman, who has been placed in charge of overseeing Anwar's torture. Freeman, along with the audience, is forced to watch Anwar as he is put through various agonizing "interrogation tests," forcing him to question his commitment to his job and his country. Gyllenhaal is outstanding at posing the same question to his audience.

Adding to the drama and suspense is the possibility that Anwar could be connected to a terrorist and the question of how and if the interrogation will work. Evidence is given on both sides of the debate to constantly keep viewers guessing if it's true and whether he will talk.

If a gripping plot and shocking view of the American policy on torture isn't enough, family is brought into the picture. The plot thickens at a consistent rate throughout the film as we are also told the story of Khalid, a militant Muslim, and his girlfriend Fatima, the runaway daughter of Freeman's partner - the man physically performing the interrogation, who is unaware of Khalid's violent activities.

As Fatima's father goes back and forth between looking for his daughter and torturing Anwar, audiences are shown the image of a man who can heartlessly electrocute a potentially innocent man one minute, and cry for his missing daughter the next. This provides a startling contrast to the suspense of the film.

By putting family values on the same level of the importance of gaining intelligence about terrorism, director Gavin Hood puts a human face on national security in a light that is not usually seen. "Rendition" does a phenomenal job with its ability to raise questions of morals in government while keeping its audience riveted.

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