Rendition - **** out of ****

"Rendition" is an unusually mindful and well-made thriller as well as a slap-in-the-face to senseless politicians more concerned about their jobs than what they know to be right and wrong. Although it does have a political message, it still has the elements of a memorable thriller. It opens with a mystery. An Egyptian man named Anwar El-Ibrahami (Omar Etwally, a talented newcomer) boards a flight back to America from South Africa but isn't shown to arrive back in the states. As a matter of fact, the record of him boarding the plane vanishes. His very pregnant wife, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon, with determination), shows up at the airport with their 6 year-old son and assume that there is a mix-up. There is, and there isn't.

Isabella comes into contact with the aid to Senator and an old fling, Alan Smith (Peter Sarsgaard, performing excellently once again). Smith works with an older Senator (Alan Arkin, wonderfully cast) who doesn't react well to this news. The two resolve that his disappearance must have been known by CIA Corespondent Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep in a vile-filled role played expertly). These people bring us into the knowledge of several others whose roles would spoil some of the 'fun' of the movie.

I do act as if this thriller isn't fun, but this really belongs in a not easily-distinguished category of serious thrillers. There is some humor in moments, but it's not like we're watching "Serenity" or "Casino Royale." The elements are all in place, but how the material is handled is quite different than many other notable thrillers. This isn't a light-hearted journey either. This is something that needs to be studied and debated.

I'm amazed about how much fire seems to be flowing through my fingers as I type this review. I certainly agree with the politics behind the film against our interrogative tactics, and this is not an issue I take lightly. We seem to have a belief that if you continuously torture someone who might be guilty, then eventually they'll become guilty despite reasonable doubt. I think of this as the opposite of justice because people are presumed guilty when accused of terrorism. And since when is that even a valid excuse? The damage done when we're wrong greatly outweighs what we believe to be done that is good. You can try to call me soft, a sympathizer, and even wrong but I'm sure you wouldn't willfully accept your Freedom Torture.

Movies like "Rendition" are important because they comment on the times in which we live as well as develop a coherent and involving story. I cared for the characters not because they were political pawns or because the movie told me to but because I genuinely did. This is not easy to do, especially in a political piece, but it is done here. There are around a dozen key players and each have their own clear motives as well as wonderful dialogue. Another plus is that there isn't really a twist ending. Sure, it's not quite what you expected, but for this film, it's perfect.

I wonder how many people would think differently about torture tactics if they just watched "Rendition." It becomes clear that these methods are outdated and only produce the results we assign to them. Terrorism is a real threat both abroad and, unfortunately, one that is commonly manufactured by our government and then called patriotic. We're even told how many lives are saved because of them when in reality, the majority of the time it ruins others' lives. Don't people just know that if someone is being cut, drowned, and electrocuted that they will tell you what you want to hear? How woeful and pessimistic this makes me.

Rated R for torture/violence and language.
Buy it here.