Review of Extreme Measures (1996) by Gordon C — 01 Feb 2010

Anybody out there who's read many of my "reviews" will know that one of the things which interests me most about movies is their presentation of ethical and/or moral dilemmas, and here we have a film which is all about ethics.

You could take it as an object lesson in precisely what is wrong with utilitarian philosophy. I've never had much time for utilitarianism myself, and here's the problem: in order to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number, is it ethical or moral to abrogate the rights of the individual?

Dr. Myrick takes it upon himself to kidnap homeless men (and possibly women) and perform medical experiments on them, ultimately leading to their deaths. His justification is the benefits which will ensue for humanity as a whole if and when his experimentation leads to a cure for spinal injuries.

Dr. Luthan disagrees, and in case I've left any doubt about it, let me state outright that I'm right there with him.

You can make up your own mind. The film will certainly give you something to think about.

I also think it's nice to see Hugh Grant in something other than his usual self-deprecatory comic lead roles. I think he does a fine job in this film, showing more range than many might otherwise credit him with.

And Gene Hackman is always worth seeing.