2008 Woodie Awards
'Rendition' takes on politics
Film tackles hard topics of torture, morality
Shea Scott
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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"Rendition" is the story of a man who is suddenly extracted from his country and tortured in a foreign place without due process. It is a one-sided critique of the policy choices that the United States has made in response to the events of 9/11.
Omar Metwally plays Egyptian born national Anwar El-Ibrahimi who is taken out of the United States and tortured. He is under suspicion of aiding a religious extremist group in a suicide bombing that took the life of an American citizen.
The only evidence against him is a call to his cell phone that supposedly came from the leader of the extremist group and the fact that El-Ibrahimi is a chemical engineer.
His pregnant wife, played by Reese Witherspoon, tries to use a contact in Washington to locate him, igniting a political battle back home. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a CIA analyst who is troubled by his first experiences with torture. Though he suspects El-Ibrahimi's innocence, his superiors force him into silence.
Gyllenhaal delivers the best performance in the movie as his character struggles with his own morality. The movie makes no attempts to show both sides of the argument over the policy of rendition. The government's agents are paranoid representatives of a flawed system in which no one questions the decisions of those higher up.
Meryl Streep plays the CIA director who makes the decision to imprison El-Ibrahimi. Her character is cold and cruel. The government is characterized through her as morally bankrupt.
Reese Witherspoon is masterfully cast as the wife of El-Ibrahimi, not for her acting ability, but her stereotypical all-American appearance. She appeals to the emotions of the audience, making an Egyptian born man more understandable by a sympathetic American audience.
There are scenes where El-Ibrahimi is beaten, electrocuted and subjected to other forms of torture. One cannot expect to leave a movie whose subject matter deals explicitly with torture and feel good about it. "Rendition" is not a lighthearted film as its purpose goes beyond entertainment. Ultimately, it asks viewers to come to their own conclusions about the ethics and morality of extraordinary rendition.
"Rendition" should spark discussion and reflection, but potential audience members should know what to expect before going.
Omar Metwally plays Egyptian born national Anwar El-Ibrahimi who is taken out of the United States and tortured. He is under suspicion of aiding a religious extremist group in a suicide bombing that took the life of an American citizen.
The only evidence against him is a call to his cell phone that supposedly came from the leader of the extremist group and the fact that El-Ibrahimi is a chemical engineer.
His pregnant wife, played by Reese Witherspoon, tries to use a contact in Washington to locate him, igniting a political battle back home. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a CIA analyst who is troubled by his first experiences with torture. Though he suspects El-Ibrahimi's innocence, his superiors force him into silence.
Gyllenhaal delivers the best performance in the movie as his character struggles with his own morality. The movie makes no attempts to show both sides of the argument over the policy of rendition. The government's agents are paranoid representatives of a flawed system in which no one questions the decisions of those higher up.
Meryl Streep plays the CIA director who makes the decision to imprison El-Ibrahimi. Her character is cold and cruel. The government is characterized through her as morally bankrupt.
Reese Witherspoon is masterfully cast as the wife of El-Ibrahimi, not for her acting ability, but her stereotypical all-American appearance. She appeals to the emotions of the audience, making an Egyptian born man more understandable by a sympathetic American audience.
There are scenes where El-Ibrahimi is beaten, electrocuted and subjected to other forms of torture. One cannot expect to leave a movie whose subject matter deals explicitly with torture and feel good about it. "Rendition" is not a lighthearted film as its purpose goes beyond entertainment. Ultimately, it asks viewers to come to their own conclusions about the ethics and morality of extraordinary rendition.
"Rendition" should spark discussion and reflection, but potential audience members should know what to expect before going.
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