Review of Unthinkable (2010) by Alex C — 22 May 2013

More hostile then Hostel.

Unthinkable is a movie that passed me by back in 2010, for many reasons it's taken me this long to watch it, but I suppose the reel question is will this terrorist driven thriller be another bomb scare or a real war hero?

An American terrorist has potentially planted 3 nuclear weapons in 3 cities around the country, it is left to an black-ops interrogator and an FBI specialist to find their locations before it's to late.

Unthinkable is a movie that is difficult to review, not because it's an empty movie, in fact the reverse is true. The problem is that the film has so much in it, I struggle with what to pick out to speak on and what not, because truly Unthinkable is a movie where the less you know the better it is.

As the film opened I began to worry, the screen was filled with FBI jargon and whole conversation I couldn't keep up with, and then something happens and the whole landscape of the movie changes, this is when we see Unthinkable start to work, it begins to capture us.

In trying to categorize Unthinkable in my head; I would place it under Political Horror, that's quite literally what is it, Unthinkable in which our worst nightmares come true, and the problem is you'll have to work out which part of Unthinkable is your worst nightmare, because it's a film with many, many options!

I'm sure by now you have worked out that the film isn't particularly nice, that the film doesn't have a very optimistic view on things, perhaps that is it's greatest strength. That the film is totally unflinching in every way. In every way that matters Unthinkable forces you to watch.

I think the film could have struck a very different cord if not the three main protagonist where not so divided in there ethics, one is a humanitarian and stands by the American dream always, one is a terrorist threat and absolute in his beliefs, and one is a interrogator who is feared even by the people he protects.

It's rare that a title has such a deep meaning in film, but Unthinkable's one does. The movies title summarizes the entire point of the film, what do you believe is unthinkable? Where are your personal limits? That is where the challenge is for the viewer, not only in content but also in substance.

It's a great compliment to Peter Woodward that he can draw and create characters with such depth and layers inside them. It is the characters and the actors portray of them, which makes the film so gripping; to see how each of the 3 leads change over the duration of the movie is the reason to watch it.

In honestly I've never really thought much of Carrie-Anne Moss, she's always been average at best for me, but as Agent Helen Brody she is incredible, she is morality. Playing the chaos is Michael Sheen who could be the greatest actor of recent memory, and he excels as the terrorist Younger. Finally we have the master, the commander himself, Samuel L. Jackson as H, this is Sam at the top of his game, and that's saying something. Around the 3 leads are a whole list of talented cast all of whom are perfect in tone and speech.

Unthinkable is the perfect movie, it's confrontational, well-paced and challenging. Unthinkable is the on screen embodiment of the dark side of our hearts. A film that must be seen by all.