The Activist

8.9 of 10. The best men and women in a box legal story since 12 Angry Men. Despite having more space, the setting increases the sense of being confined with nowhere to go.

It's definitely not the usual prison film either. Time doesn't slip by quickly with suspenseful action scenes quickly shifting from one to the next as many years pass by.

As a result, this isn't a film to step into and out of. Far too slow moving for that. It really needs to be watched in full, from the start without stepping away. That said, the documentary aspects of it still shine through if only the second half is watched. If you're already very knowledgeable of this time in history, it will be far less intriguing. Fortunately, it covers some modern history that's rarely discussed much less turned into films.

"The Activist" combines the best of Documentary and Fiction filmmaking. I wasn't familiar with the Wounded Knee Incident before watching the film; it's maybe no coincidence that the director comes from France...

The performances are terrific, from the cops / jailers to the main characters, the two activists that get arrested during the events. Most of the action takes place inside a local jail, where tension is escalating as time passes. The jailed heroes get three surprise visits that challenge their assumptions.

In the end, we have a great film about a little-known episode of American History. Don't miss it!