This is a fascinating film that follows a detective's daunting task to identify and locate a terrorist leader in an unnamed South American country.
He must do this in a somewhat similar fashion to Michael Lonsdale's character in The Day Of The Jackal, as he hunted for the assassin of the title. Its a task akin to finding a needle in a haystack, and the means with which he goes about it is enthralling.
Jarviar Bardem is excellent as the honest detective operating in a country governed by a corrupt military dictatorship.
While the ruling government permits his investigation, it is not above interferring whenever it sees fit.
The story is loosely based on the activities of the Maoist guerrilla group The Shining Path in Peru in the 1980s.
There are some disturbing scenes in this film involving both the actions of the terrorists and of the government.
Those people interested in political thrillers like State Of Siege, Z, and the aforementioned "Jackal" should love this.
The film looks and feels spot on, and I was very impressed with what director John Malkovitch (yes, the actor) was able to achieve with what must have been a reasonably limited budget.
The clever script goes a long way in making what I consider a fantastic film.
He must do this in a somewhat similar fashion to Michael Lonsdale's character in The Day Of The Jackal, as he hunted for the assassin of the title. Its a task akin to finding a needle in a haystack, and the means with which he goes about it is enthralling.
Jarviar Bardem is excellent as the honest detective operating in a country governed by a corrupt military dictatorship.
While the ruling government permits his investigation, it is not above interferring whenever it sees fit.
The story is loosely based on the activities of the Maoist guerrilla group The Shining Path in Peru in the 1980s.
There are some disturbing scenes in this film involving both the actions of the terrorists and of the government.
Those people interested in political thrillers like State Of Siege, Z, and the aforementioned "Jackal" should love this.
The film looks and feels spot on, and I was very impressed with what director John Malkovitch (yes, the actor) was able to achieve with what must have been a reasonably limited budget.
The clever script goes a long way in making what I consider a fantastic film.