Review of The Fifth Estate (2013) by Tim W — 20 Apr 2018
Early in the film, Assange (played brilliantly by Cumberbatch) describes a childhood partly spent in a horrible religious cult. I don't know about the real Assange, but listening both to him and his character in this, I see a resemblance between the cult leaders we know and him.
The ego. The conviction. The smugness. The intelligence. The manipulation. It depends on where you stand, but these people either draw you in or repel you. I would never have drank Jim Jones' CoolAid in the jungle.
Likewise, I couldnt spend an hour in the company of this megalomaniac. I don't know much about wikileaks but I understand the role it's played and how it has exposed both the guilty and the innocent in equal measure.
It's a blunt instrument but an important one, I suppose. But important doesn't equate to interesting and this is one tedious film. Like Assange, it either draws you in or turns you off. I have a suspicion it would have been better served by a lower budget TV outing.
As it is, the stellar cast just don't seem to have enough to do.
This review of The Fifth Estate (2013) was written by Tim W on 20 Apr 2018.
The Fifth Estate has generally received mixed reviews.
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