Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #608 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-03-24
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 118 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A politically-charged, compelling drama, Rendition sees director Gavin Hood follow up the extraordinary, Oscar-winning Tsotsi with another challenging, quality piece of cinema. This time, his attention focuses on the story of a man who is kidnapped, and shipped off to be imprisoned abroad. The reason? Suspected terrorism. And his wife has no idea where he is and what's happened.

In lesser hands, Rendition could have really struggled to make its mark, but Hood very much knows what he's doing, and his film is excellent, right up to--and including--its final reel. His cast help him immensely, with Alan Arkin and Meryl Streep offering terrific support to the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Rendition does have some problems. Its pace sometimes wavers a little, some of the roles are slighter than you'd like, and sometimes the American-based elements pull the film back. But these are minor gripes that seem unfair to level at an ambitious drama, that is fearless about addressing issues of morality. Tightly woven on the whole, and sticking in your head long after the end credits have rolled, Rendition is intelligent film-making, that pulls very few punches. Those after an action feast are clearly advised to head in the other direction; those looking for a film to engage the brain are very much welcome, and set to be richly rewarded. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon star in this timely thriller about a woman whose husband is kidnapped and taken to a foreign prison because he is suspected of being a terrorist. Gavid Hood, director of Academy Award winner TSOTSI, helms this film that also features Alan Arkin, Meryl Streep, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Customer Reviews

Great Thriller!
This film keeps you gripped from the start, a well acted film. I think jake gyllenhall is a great actor and is really good in this film.

Disturbing
I'm glad that this film was made. The issue covered in this film needs to be made public as many people don't know about `rendition' and the ramifications of this government rule.

The torture scenes are indescribably horrific but I suppose they needed to make the film as graphically `real' as possible. What I found most disturbing is that the incident that happened in the film has probably happened to countless people. The only part of the film which I found unbelievable was the ending; I sincerely doubt that there is a `light at the end of the tunnel' in reality.

The film was well-casted and the acting was so powerful, I needed to remind myself that I was watching a film and not a documentary.

Excellent with original twist
Once you have got your head round who the different characters are and how they fit together (which takes about 15 mins) then this movie turns into a real treat. It is about counter terrorism and the morality of torture as a means to an end. The very occasional torture scenes do get the balance right between being realistic and suitably unpleasant, but not overly gratuitous, so don't less this put you off.

Absorbing, atmospheric, morally challenging, and seemingly very realistic, with good perfomances by all the cast. I also liked the fact that it was (IMO) neither pro or anti American per se, both sides are portrayed without glamour (and both can be condemned). I think you could also argue that there is no "good guy" which spoils many a film.

I love films with twists in the tale that you don't see coming, and this had one that I have never seen before (not saying it hasn't been done elsewhere, but I've not seen it).