Complicit

After sitting through so much dross, it was great to watch a gripping drama, with no action sequences, no body count, no gun play, no over acting, none of the usual things that seem to be in every show these days.

It's slow, brooding, sinister and shows how things are never as simple as often portrayed in modern films.

It's actually quite a treat to sit and immerse yourself in the main actors dilema.

The real acid test for this film, was that my other half stayed awake through the whole film, which is very, very unusual!

All credit to the small cast and the brilliant camerawork.

Its so rare for a film to better streaming drama series' these days, but this one does.

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.

Which isn't easy. To sustain a level of tension this gripping for an entire movie without resorting to timeworn plot devices can't be done by Big Hollywood. In addition it clearly takes direction that allows fine actors the time and space to deliver the brilliant performances that are the foundation of the film as they fix one's attention on every word and expression. Well done, all!

Big Hollywood would have taken the premise and injected the obligatory "Hot Woman" into the agent's life. And, of course, there would have been a climax expending hundreds of rounds of ammunition (at least). (As an example see "The Kingdom")They never would have left us with this ending for "Complicit". An ending which is congruent with the body of the film instead of a cinematic "backflip".

A little creative honesty for a change...Thank You.

One point about the antagonists: If you think of them both as soldiers you can realize both, by their own rules, are good soldiers. George Patton loved his country so did SS General Kurt Meyer (a dedicated Nazi). Both were skilled, however, relativity ends at this point.

One just happened to be fighting to preserve Liberty and the other ... Not. As for me, I reject the moral relativism described by another reviewer of this film. No one is morally perfect. However some act in ways that are not to be tolerated.

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.

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.