The Film
Exactly what is implied by the title could be open to debate. After an American Muslim (Michael Sheen) admits to planting three atomic bombs, which will go off in a matter of days, an off-the-grid interrogator (Samuel L. Jackson) and an FBI special agent (Carrie-Anne Moss) see how close they can get to doing the Unthinkable to getting him to disclose the bomb's location. Director Gregor Jodan doesn't exactly give the answers, but unlike many of the recent war on terror stories, this one doesn't try to present a view on what is right and wrong, suggesting that there is much more in the way of gray and fuzzy middle ground.
The Picture
Set mostly in an interrogation chamber this film has plenty of stark whites, with sequences of copious amounts of red - as in blood - for good measure. This is contrasted with the dark and dingy settings of the "undisclosed location," albeit with a few visual cues that stand out in Blu-ray. Look fast for Amnesty International fliers, and other symbols of peace, which show up thanks to the 1080p 1.85:1 presentation. Additionally, the various shots of the "potential" target cities are presented much like an HD travelogue, so these also show the beauty of the locations in rich detail. But as the movie is most about unorthodox interrogation, torture has never looked so good.
The Sound
Sound reportedly plays a big role in interrogation, but alas that's not so much the case with this dialog heavy film. There is the expected over-the-top outrage from Jackson, who does his usual rant and rave performance, and there are the usual sounds of drills, electroshock and water boarding, but none of it really immerses you in the hot seat - which OK, is probably a good thing. Thus the 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio track is good but this is hardly the film for the sweet spot of home audio.
The Extras
Clearly someone didn't put the screws on director Jordan too tight, as this film lacks any bonus material sans a director commentary and a preview. There is an extended version that offers an alternate ending, and it is an interesting "twist," but other than the usual movieIQ and BD Live, this disc comes up empty of significant bonus materials.
Final Thoughts
As a film Unthinkable is a standard potboiler that probably isn't going to offer its viewers a need for repeated viewings, but the message is one that could be debated from all sides of the issue. The question is "does torture work?" and the answer might be, "only if you think of doing the unthinkable."
Product Details
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