While I do think it's commendable that Daniel Radcliffe still headlines whatever movie he makes, sometimes those movies aren't very good. It's not too late, though; he still has the world on a string and can start making less upsetting movies anytime. I didn't get through Escape from Pretoria or Imperium, but I did watch his practically one-man shows Beast of Burden and Jungle. His performances in both are extremely strong, but if you have to pick only one to watch, pick the latter.
Beast of Burden is writer Adam Hoelzel's first feature screenplay, and it shows. The story is unoriginal: a man agrees to smuggle drugs across the border to pay for a life-saving treatment for his wife (played by Grace Gummer). The vast majority of this low-budget flick is filmed in Daniel's helicopter as he deals with three different incessant phone calls during his flight. The vast majority of the dialogue feels ad-lib, as Daniel expresses his frustration. I give the lead actor a lot of credit; he really does the very best he can with the material he's given. Sometimes Jesper Ganslandt's uninspired direction lets the camera run on for too long, leaving Daniel to keep ad-libbing in the general tone of the scene.
If you like these plots (and many films feature a similar premise), you can check this movie out. If it were someone's graduate thesis film, it would be great; but as a Hollywood picture starring an A-list actor, it won't make the top of anyone's list.
