Unthinkable

It used to be when a film was relegated to a direct to video release it meant that the studio has decided that the film has fallen short and was not worthy of a theatrical release, in more recent years with many home systems exceeding the quality of theaters and internet distribution has become more extensively used direct to video is no longer the embarrassing uncle kept in the basement; it is a viable and respectable means of distributing films. This has become a popular alternative in the independent film world for awhile now but a recent direct to video release from a major studio demonstrates another incentive to selecting this mode of distribution; controversial subject matter. With the recent release of the psychological thriller ‘Unthinkable’ the studio had a star studded film with a high controversial and extremely topical theme but it was so intense there were doubts as to how a full on theatrical release would fare. Rather than completely abandon a well made film altogether it went out on DVD and Blu-ray. As a nod to its quality and potential the high definition release contained the online movie fact sheet Sony calls ‘Movie IQ’, usually reserved for their high profile releases. The subject is simple enough and has been explored before on film and television. If you had a known terrorist in custody with information that could save millions of American lives but time was extremely short, what measures would you take to obtain that information? Torture has found its way into such popular TV series as ‘24’ and ‘Battlestar Galactica’ but nothing close to the intensity or stark realism depicted in this film. Perhaps Sony was correct with this method of primary distribution. Undoubtedly there would have been the potential for a lot of negative press if this movie made it to the local Cineplex but the story was well done and important enough to warrant making this film.

The screenplay was written by Peter Woodward with the direction handled by Gregor Jordan. Both men have a few prior credits straddling film and television but this is their first mainstream studio feature film. The film is not without its technical flaws but this is a prime example how imperfections can work in favor of the production. If this movie came across as too slick and polished it would have lost much of its greatest element; a gritty realism that pulls in the audience with the nagging and entirely horrendous thought that the story shown here could happen. It is this sense of possibility that give the visceral punch the movie is able to deliver. Sometimes it is just better to experience s film rather than attempting to over analyze it and this is an example of this. The thing that truly works here is although it is best to just let the film unfold before you afterwards it is certain that it will invoke a significant amount of discussion afterwards. The topic of torture is not as black and white as many would like to believe or at least the decisions the characters in this movie face are far more complicate than you might think especially removed from the urgency underlying this story. Rather than nit-pick about missteps made here it is far more pertinent to consider the darker themes and unusual juxtapositions that comprise the movie. Right up front this is not an easy film to watch. Sure any number of recent horror films, most notable those in the torture horror sub-genre, are much more over the top as far as bloody special effects go but what is extremely disturbing here is the dispassionate way torture is administered. It is not applied with deranged glee by some inbreed monstrous serial killer in some dank back woods setting. In this context the torture is utilized in a government controlled building under the watchful eye of bureaucrats administered by an expert who sees this merely as just another part of his job. The fact that it has and does happen makes it more frightening than anything mustered up in a horror flick.

Steven Arthur Younger (Michael Sheen) was a loyal American who served his country well until his conversion to Islam and his change in name to Yusuf. At the start of the film we see Yusuf making a video that has become all too familiar; an announcement of planed terroristic activities. Yusuf states in the video that he has hidden nuclear weapons in three American cities set to explode at noon only a few days away. The video of the devices and Younger’s background in nuclear weapon technology combined with a report of missing fissionable material from a place he had connections leads Homeland Security and the FBI to conclude his threats are extremely plausible. Younger allows for an all too easy capture and is whisked away to a covert location under military control. FBI Special Agent Helen Brody (Carrie-Anne Moss) is on the case charged with discovering the location of the three bombs but the higher ups have to be certain the information is obtain so the bring up ‘H’ (Samuel L. Jackson), an expert in ‘extreme alternate interrogation techniques. His methodology makes the Spanish inquisition seem like a church social by comparison. Part of his initial method involved hacking a little finger off; then he got serious about matters. Brody is morally opposed to the very concept of torturing anyone especially an American citizen. The CIA took care of that potential objection by having Younger’s citizenship immediately revoked. As ‘H’ pushes harder and harder Younger stubbornly holds own taking an unbelievable amount of pain and humiliating abuse. The men in charge stand back in the shadows as a human being is psychologically dismantled under their watchful eyes. This is not only an intense contest of wills between ‘H’ and Younger but more to the point a morality debate between ‘H’ and Brody. After a non-atomic device is detonated resulting in the murder of over 50 people it becomes clear that Younger is not bluffing and millions will die at noon the next day. Brody faces the moral dilemma at the heart of this issue; if tossing away every tenant of civilized behavior for the slim chance Younger will actually tell the correct locations. Many experts in this field note that a person will say anything just to stop the unbearable pain so what he tells them cannot be taken as reliable. The one thing that shocks Brody and by extension the audience is when not pulling out fingernails or water boarding a subject ‘H’ is a loving husband and devoted father. When Brody sees ‘H’ on a break setting on the grass with his wife enjoying a meal she is dumbfounded that a woman can love this monster knowing full well what he does. The questions are shown from several perspectives giving the audience a lot to talk about after the film.

The Blu-ray version is for the most part unremarkable but this is due to the nature of the film. Most takes place in the closed quarters of the interrogation room or the control room just outside it. These locations do not offer much of a chance for anything more than some realistic ambiance. A similar factor is at work with the video; nothing to showcase the true nature of high definition. Sony did include their Movie IQ Blu-ray Live which provides a little IMDB like environment for the viewer. if you can get past the gruesome nature of the premise it will provide food for thought and some excellent performances.

Posted 06/17/2010