Verbeek articulates the aftermath following the destruction, of what turned out to be an Afghani school, in a way that is dreadfully believable yet subconsciously compelling. Ivan is debriefed by his superiors – the camera, however, transfixed on Colin's unrelenting gaze. Here, with a single shot, Verbeek exhibits a trio of crucial explanations regarding the film's surreal progression henceforth. First and foremost, the interviews carry Ivan's disconnect from society, isolating him from a traditional table scene that would normally present both interviewer and interviewee as equals. What's more, we, the audience, are put into the position of the interviewer and thus are asked to judge Ivan's actions; was he following orders? Or was he truly indifferent to pulling the trigger? But as we judge him with our perceived authoritative power, we are essentially granted the same god-like jurisdiction as we would be pushing a button that could a end a life thousands of miles away. And to cap the brilliant sequence off is Colin's lifeless glare, an icy gaze that remains unbroken through inquires about Ivan's mental state, and uncut through Verbeek's bold accord.
During my young film-critiquing career, I have yet to encounter a film in need of championing until "Full Contact." If you seek a film about drone warfare, Gavin Hood's upcoming 'Eye in the Sky' will likely be more up your ally. But if you even slightly care about one of the most contemporary, visually mesmerizing, hauntingly seductive, visionary pictures to spawn from the past 10 years, please do yourself a favor and watch 'Full Contact' whenever or wherever it becomes available.
FULL REVIEW HERE: http://indieadam.com/2015/09/22/full-contact-review-indieadam-tiff- 2015/
