Rendition [2007] - DVD (Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, J.K. Simmons, Alan Arkin, Reese Witherspoon - Dir: Gavin Hood)

A politically-charged, compelling drama, Rendition sees director Gavin Hood follow up the extraordinary, Oscar-winning Tsotsi with another challenging, quality piece of cinema. This time, his attention focuses on the story of a man who is kidnapped, and shipped off to be imprisoned abroad. The reason? Suspected terrorism. And his wife has no idea where he is and what's happened.

In lesser hands, Rendition could have really struggled to make its mark, but Hood very much knows what he's doing, and his film is excellent, right up to--and including--its final reel. His cast help him immensely, with Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep offering terrific support to the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Rendition does have some problems. Its pace sometimes wavers a little, some of the roles are slighter than you'd like, and sometimes the American-based elements pull the film back. But these are minor gripes that seem unfair to level at an ambitious drama, that is fearless about addressing issues of morality. Tightly woven on the whole, and sticking in your head long after the end credits have rolled, Rendition is intelligent film-making, that pulls very few punches. Those after an action feast are clearly advised to head in the other direction; those looking for a film to engage the brain are very much welcome, and set to be richly rewarded. --Jon Foster

Customer Reviews of Rendition [2007]

Tracey
Essex, UK
4th November 2008

what about the phone calls?
I see a previous reviewer thought this film might be more light-hearted. Hello? It's called RENDITION.
Anyway. The acting isn't all it might have been and a rather unsatisfactory script leaves those all-important mobile phone calls completely unexplained.
But the torture scenes (and the standout performance by the north African torturer-in-chief) are well done and will (hopefully)leave audiences feeling highly uncomfortable.

rowan tree
Edinburgh, Scotland
27th September 2008

Thought provoking movie
I watched this on a whim. At nearly two hours long I kind of expected it to be one of those oh hurry up movies but I watched in a one-r and never checked the clock once.

Really well made movie, well filmed, matching music, good acting, good story. Not a light movie, makes you think. Well worth watching.

Mr. J. A. Orme

18th August 2008

bit boring
i was looking forward to this film but was very disapointed it never got going really and alomst fell asleep twice it was that boring it could of been alot better.

JEN B
UK
19th July 2008

Great Thriller!
This film keeps you gripped from the start, a well acted film. I think jake gyllenhall is a great actor and is really good in this film.

Farah Yousif
Kuwait
9th July 2008

Disturbing
I'm glad that this film was made. The issue covered in this film needs to be made public as many people don't know about `rendition' and the ramifications of this government rule.

The torture scenes are indescribably horrific but I suppose they needed to make the film as graphically `real' as possible. What I found most disturbing is that the incident that happened in the film has probably happened to countless people. The only part of the film which I found unbelievable was the ending; I sincerely doubt that there is a `light at the end of the tunnel' in reality.

The film was well-casted and the acting was so powerful, I needed to remind myself that I was watching a film and not a documentary.