Complicit

To me this was a very good piece of British drama. Understated yet intense, with enough suspense to keep you intrigued to the very end.

The plot is fairly simple. A MI5 agent suspects a person of interest he has been following is about to initiate an act of terror against Britain. The MI5 agent follows him to Egypt where the potential terrorist has been arrested. Then begins a game of cat and mouse about whether the suspect is a terrorist or not and is the MI5 agent right? Simple, but expertly done.

David Oyelowo is a fine leading man as he is in most things. Brooding with a wounded puppy dog look. But the show is stolen by Arsher Ali as the terror suspect. He acts the character brilliantly and he keeps you guessing until the end as to whether he is or not.

Like I said in the title, the pace may be slow for some. But it is shot beautifully, with some expert directing. This is not zero dark thirty, but it has the feel of a true reflection of what actually tracking a terror suspect would be like. Thoughtful and measured.

What is it about? I'm not claiming that this film doesn't have a point, but which one? The main character, an MI-5 analyst, is introduced at work, nodding off while reviewing and re-reviewing hidden camera footage of a particular suspected terrorist. He chases around London, searching for more detailed intel on his target, a Middle-Eastern man who-he is sure-is up to something. Part of his motivation is preventing a terrorist from succeeding at terrorism; part is to succeed himself, at last, at his career and make a major interception. To be noticed by his superiors. Unfortunately for him, he makes a few tactical errors, and the target turns out to be a British citizen with a thorough knowledge of his own civil rights. Who is succeeding at what becomes more and more ambiguous as the film comes to its end. Terror? or torture? It's a story with the ring of truth, told in a morose, silent, unsmiling fashion, and with one exception the audience is never quite sure who can be believed. The lone exception, an older man in the Egyptian anti-terror agency, to whom the hero goes for advice, is both the most candid, open and and helpful source he can find, and the worst mistake he could make. The film forces the viewer to decide between living with terrorism, picking and choosing who gets the protection of civil rights, and whether or not torture is acceptable. Take your pick.

It was an average dialogue driven spy film that kept me waiting for a big climax and it may have been the most disappointing ending that I can ever remember seeing. I suppose it was attempting to have us question our societal ethics vs mass killing and terrorism, but all I could think about was how unfulfilled I felt and how I'd never get those two hours back. It could have been a pretty good movie, but it drove off a cliff.

I've often seen Islamic terrorists on television recently, ranting and raving their pathetic personal manifestos which don't even interest 0.000001% of Muslims, let alone the general population. They're hypocrites too... Spouting off about how corrupt the West is but quite happy to partake in our generous benefit system to fund their dangerous propaganda.

The Jihadist as depicted in this brilliant film is one such irredeemable parasites... Banging on about his 'human rights', but plotting to blow us all up simultaneously. What about the 'human rights' of those poor innocents who are blown to smithereens by a brainwashed idiot in a war they have no part in whatsoever?

No wonder the lead character, played with great gravitas by David Oyelowo, finally cracks under the pressure of dealing with all this bullsh*t and goes beyond official protocol to stop this evil guy's plans. From his superiors (In name only) blanking him, to bona-fide evidence he painstakingly uncovers ignored, what dude wouldn't become so frustrated he'd contemplate ditching the kid gloves and trying something more extreme?

Of course, it ultimately blows up in his face, but I think the fault lies firmly at the door of his employees. If they had established a dialogue with him earlier and not left him completely out of the loop, he wouldn't have felt the need to go rogue, ending up with bad consequences for everyone, apart from the nasty, two-faced SOB who wants to murder us all.

Anyway, personal opinions aside, this is a fine piece of work, from the intelligent and realistic way events unfurl, to the skillful plotting which keeps you on tetherhooks throughout. There are also several interrogation sequences that are as dramatic and involving as any scenes involving just two people I've seen in years. Excellent. 8/10

Strong Acting from David Oyelowo and Ali Asher Compel this British TV-Movie. It Has a Clean Directorial Style that is "Matter of Fact", Sleek and Without Frills.

Those Expecting Hollywood like Antics Spicing up the Story of a Terrorist Suspect and His "Enhanced Interrogation" Concerning a Bio-Weapon on the way to the UK, are going to be Disappointed.

It is Basically a Two-Character Study set Inside MI5 and the Battle of Wits between Spy and Suspect. The Bureaucratic Bloat and Red Tape are the real Villain of the Piece. The Strength of the Film relies on a Realistic Approach and as Entertainment some May find the Film Flat and somewhat Boring.

But the two Leading Characters Never let That Happen. It's an "Edge of Your Seater" as the Race Against Time and the Rage Against the Machine that the Agent Displays, albeit Internally, makes this a Compelling and Topical Movie that is Worth a Watch.