Rendition One of 2007's Best

In the turbulent post-9/11 world we live in it is not surprising that so many films speak the issues and problems of our time, including terrorism, torture, war, etc. The list gets longer and longer with each passing year and 2007 is no different with films such as The Kingdom, Rendition and Lambs For Lions all hitting theaters this Fall.

To date I have seen two of these three films (with Lambs releasing next week) and they could not have been more different. The Kingdom was an action driven film that felt very heavy handed, yet "pop culture" with its presentation. (see review here) Directed by Gavin Hood, Rendition is a wholly different viewing experience that presents a stellar cast who deliver excellent performances all around and makes for an engaging, thought-provoking drama.

Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Douglas Freeman, a junior CIA officer assigned to a North African post (Egypt). When his bureau director dies in his arms after a suicide bombing, Freeman is given a field promotion taking over the post and because a US government official was killed, an investigation is launched. At the same time Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), an Egyptian national and chemical engineering specialist, is concluding a business trip to South Africa. He is headed home to his family... but he doesn't arrive sending his wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon) into a panic.

The question for Isabella is "what happened"? People simply don't vanish on an overseas flight and the records show he boarded the plane home. The truth - he did board a plane, but he ended up in Egypt at a secret CIA interrogation facility run by an Egyptian official named Abasi Fawal (Yigal Naor). Ibrahimi was on a terrorist watch-list because of his background and profession and Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep), a high up in the CIA, gave the order to nab him for questioning or "extraordinary rendition"... something the government patently denies.

Freeman, now in his new position in Egypt is allowed to observe the interrogation, personally handled by Fawal. It soon becomes clear to him that Ibrahimi is simply a victim of torture and knows nothing about the bombing or anyone involved even though everyone around him, so long a part of the "system", disagree and believe Ibrahimi should be held indefinitely until he gives the answers they wish to hear. Ironically, the answers they seek are to be found in the least expected place. And while a determined Isabella does an investigation of her own back in Washington using a college friend (Peter Sarsgaard) who is an aide within prominent senator's office, Freeman begins working out a plan to free Ibrahimi and return him home.

This story examines so many themes central to current world affairs (radical Islam, terrorism, torture, civil liberties, CIA tactics and family) and expertly weaves them together in a taught drama that drew me in from the first scene and held my attention until the credits rolled. Hood does a masterful job directing and his cast gives performances of the highest caliber! For me, the most noteworthy performance came from Yigal Naor as Abasi Fawal and I can very easily see him as a Best Supporting Actor nominee come Oscar time. Gyllenhaal may also be in the awards picture for his performance as well.

In stark contrast to The Kingdom, Rendition is a much slower paced film that is more thoughtful, dramatic and far less self-conscious, something I appreciate. It is less showy and more substantive resulting in a film that has more impact, feels more relevant and entertains on a higher level. This film is certainly one of the year's best! 10/10