This is one of those films that, given its single location and duel of wits between the two leads, simply cries out that there is a twist coming. When it comes, in the final five minutes, it does so having announced its imminent arrival somewhere between two minutes and 30 seconds before it actually turns up and so, to a degree, it fails. Having said that, prior to the sudden, almost inexplicable, shifts in attitude of the three main players, the film proves to be quite an intriguing tale of torture and deception that reveals its secrets in a coolly measured manner that successfully manages to reverse the viewers' near-automatic labelling of its protagonists. In this respect, at least, the film undoubtedly succeeds.
Ryan Philippe, Laurence Fishburne and Colm Meaney are all given the opportunity to try on unfamiliar accents with varying degrees of success. Philippe comes off third best, but at least his effort is one that becomes less irritating as the film progresses. Considering the bulk of the story takes place in one location the film does well to prevent the viewer's mind from wondering, which is just as well considering some of the plot holes a small amount of reflection throws up. Perhaps the most unlikely development is the schoolboy trick with which Fishburne finally manages to obtain the information he wants. Philippe has withstood the amputation of all the digits from one hand, adroitly sidestepped all the more sophisticated techniques Fishburne & Co. have employed in their attempts to deceive him, but doesn't have the sense to at least have Fishburne write down just the Christian names to ensure he isn't bluffing? I can't see it somehow. And the idea of a terrorist plot to poison the world's fast food produce, while terrifying when first revealed, quickly becomes too problematic to stand up to scrutiny. Such a plot would require a level of logistical planning and strategy that makes the orchestrated bombing of the World Trade Centre seem positively simple in comparison.
Despite these gripes, the film does manage to keep you intrigued long enough to see it through to the end and the way that the viewer's point of view is manipulated by writers Chad Thumann and Laurence Malkin (who also directed) is extremely well done.
Ryan Philippe, Laurence Fishburne and Colm Meaney are all given the opportunity to try on unfamiliar accents with varying degrees of success. Philippe comes off third best, but at least his effort is one that becomes less irritating as the film progresses. Considering the bulk of the story takes place in one location the film does well to prevent the viewer's mind from wondering, which is just as well considering some of the plot holes a small amount of reflection throws up. Perhaps the most unlikely development is the schoolboy trick with which Fishburne finally manages to obtain the information he wants. Philippe has withstood the amputation of all the digits from one hand, adroitly sidestepped all the more sophisticated techniques Fishburne & Co. have employed in their attempts to deceive him, but doesn't have the sense to at least have Fishburne write down just the Christian names to ensure he isn't bluffing? I can't see it somehow. And the idea of a terrorist plot to poison the world's fast food produce, while terrifying when first revealed, quickly becomes too problematic to stand up to scrutiny. Such a plot would require a level of logistical planning and strategy that makes the orchestrated bombing of the World Trade Centre seem positively simple in comparison.
Despite these gripes, the film does manage to keep you intrigued long enough to see it through to the end and the way that the viewer's point of view is manipulated by writers Chad Thumann and Laurence Malkin (who also directed) is extremely well done.