Review of The East (2013) by Maksim B — 10 Dec 2013

The East is a captivating and thought-provoking political eco-thriller which asks uncomfortable questions and challenges the viewers to find the answers for themselves. Morally ambiguous and with elements of left-wing politics, this movie delivers a perfectly nuanced story in of post-modern eco-anarchy movements opposing the corporate machine in a guerilla "war" which will leave nobody neutral. Even though it lacks an even pacing and has several unnecessary sub-stories, The East is a formidable B-movie that will keep the audience involved until the final credits.

The young and overly ambitious ex-FBI agent Sarah Moss, works for a private espionage company dealing with militia eco-NGOs and especially with an anarchist group called The East. Sent undercover to investigate The East, Sarah easily integrates in this mysterious group and quickly becomes important part of activities. Soon, she finds herself between two worlds, each of them with its own values. Locked between the moral contradictions of her real life and her undercover life, she delves deeper into the reasoning behind the ecological terrorism/activism of The East.

Thanks to the convincing and cold blooded performance of rising star Brit Marling (known from Another Earth and Arbitrage) and the emotional presence of Ellen Page, The East succeeds to depict a world of black and white, in which the audience cannot simply watch and remain neutral. And yet, no side would make the viewer feel comfortable with his/her choice. The only flaw in this excellent delivery from director Zal Batmanglij is the unnecessary underlying love story between Sarah and the leader of The East: Benji (Alexander Skarsgard). It softens the sharpness of the movie and adds a sort of clichéd Hollywood romance flavor that simply has not place in this movie.

Still, The East is an incredibly intriguing and thought-provoking B-thriller. It impresses, it challenges and above-all it never weakens its grip on the audience. This is definitely a must see movie which would make you think about the society and corporate world we live in.