Five Fingers

I picked this up from the library on a whim but didn't regret it. The story is obviously still very topical. It just manages to do this without resorting to any stereotypes - in fact, it challenges those very stereotypes. The more the story progresses the more you realise as a viewer that there is no clear right and wrong and you have to keep re-evaluating your own opinion on the characters and the situation they are in. For me this was really a movie that made me think. And although the blurb on the DVD case prepares you for a surprise at the end that doesn't mean the film is predictable. There are still some twists and turns that come quite unexpected. Of particular note is of course Fishburne's performance. Worth noting is also that the DVD cover can be deceiving: in Germany it only shows a maimed hand (which reminded me a bit of Saw). But: physical violence is not the focus of this film but rather the tension and verbal struggles between its two main characters. In fact, the film is so dialog-heavy that it's been compared to a play. With all the generic stuff on terrorism that's out there this really stood out to me and I highly recommend it.

There are so many films out there that i guess the ending or work out the twist. This wasn't one of them. This film, if given the chance, is edge of the seat stuff for a proper film fan. I tried to guess the twist many times and was way off every time. It does start slow but give it a chance, it will drag you in and leave you guessing. The brilliant performances from phillipe and fishburne shine through. If you want fast pace action and explosions this film isn't for you but if you enjoy a film that makes you think and guess, watch it. I give this film 8 out of 10 for the simple fact that its different and that you will NOT guess the ending.

the line between good and evil. the war. in all its forms. the appearances. and the deep roots of the story in our contemporary every day reality. few motifs for define this film as special. for the inspired grow up of story. for performances. for ambiguity who gives, at the end, an impressive revelation. for the atmosphere of play. for the states of Matjin who reflects the fears of us. for the cold verdict. and, sure, for violence who is not more than convincing spice for a film who could be a warning or just precise reflection of reality.

Despite Ryan Phillipe's awful accent (as Martijn), the movie does a good job pulling you into the world they create. It is, as advertised, a "psychological thriller" and a bit of a mystery as you watch it unfold and slowly flashbacks illuminate the present situation.

Laurence Fishburne is EXCELLENT and makes the movie. Phillipe does a good job and although other characters play pivotal roles, it is really about the two of them.

Most of the film is shot in the same location, but it never gets boring or drags and keeps a lot of tension in most of the scenes. A real psychological treat if you just enjoy it! Not the best movie, but certainly a solid piece of entertainment that gets you to look at things from a slightly different perspective than most treatments of the subject of 'terrorism'.

Of course, I could watch just about anything with Lawrence Fishburne in it, but here, his performance and skill as an actor really shines.

That's not to detract from the others in this film. All of the principal actors delivered absolutely excellent, convincing character performances.

The story itself is a bit controversial, to say the least. It's not that I doubt this sort of "extreme" rendition occurs in current times, but there are various threads in this story which could be debated.

Of course, I won't explain the outcome here, you'll have to see this film for yourself for that. But it does deliver an "outside the box" outcome which is certainly different than most films of this genre'.

In a way, it does remind me a bit of the film "Unthinkable", another look into the murky world of extreme rendition, covert operations with a dark twist, and so on.

I would suggest seeing this. Even if you don't buy the implications of the story, the acting in this work is first rate.