Five Fingers - DVD Review
By Irv Slifkin -- Video Business,06/22/2009
LIONSGATE |
Street: July 7
Prebook: now
> Ryan Phillippe and Laurence Fishburne match wits in a nasty cat-and-mouse suspenser.
While on a mission to start a philanthropic food program in Morocco, Martijn (Ryan Phillippe), a Dutch musician and entrepreneur, is captured by terrorists led by Ahmat (Laurence Fishburne). Ahmat believes Martijn is a CIA operative, and he plans to chop off Martijn’s fingers one by one unless he is given the information he wants. An intimate thriller with some disturbing moments, Five Fingers plays like Syriana as reworked by David Mamet. It’s a well-constructed saga with a nifty surprise ending.
Shelf Talk: Despite some play overseas and at film festivals in 2006, Five Fingers never received an American theatrical release. Fans of the leading men will be interested, as will those who enjoyed such thought-provoking tales of political intrigue as Syriana, Arlington Road and Body of Lies.
Thriller, color, R (mature themes, language, extreme violence), 90 min., DVD $26.96Extras: featurette, trivia
Director: Laurence Malkin
First Run: L Int’l., 2006, NA
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| Submitted by: | Just Saw It 7/9/2009 10:46:14 PM PT |
| Location: | Chicago |
| Occupation: | teacher |
A very fair assessment of the film. I found the editing to be flawed, creating some "wha?" moments. The bathing scene doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the film. Martijn is suddenly hostile and aggressive when up to now he's continuously protested his innocence. And why would he confide in the woman who's been hacking off his fingers? But the acting was certainly top rate all across the spectrum. That look on Martijn's face as he realizes that he's been tricked at the end is unforgetable. So much emotion contained in just his eyes. This was a fascinating little film.
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