Rendition [DVD]

By Clint Morris

Here’s another film whose ostensibly been pocketed by ‘Where’s Wally’ – because it, like its subjugator, blends in so well with the crowd that there’s next to no chance of singling it out.

It’s a pity director Gavin Hood’s judicious political drama has been lost in the flock – too many similar films released in the same period, probably – not just because of it’s topical themes and compelling storyline, but because of it’s outstanding cast – there’s more recognizable faces in this than a 10-year high school reunion. (Much like “Lions for Lambs” – co-incidentally Meryl Streep features in both – there would’ve been a bigger number on the actors’ pay-slips than there would’ve been on the returns for this film’s entire U.S run).

Like Peter Berg’s “The Kingdom” and Robert Redford’s “Lions for Lambs”, “Rendition” is a contemporary drama/thriller that examines just how severely our world has changed since the events of September 11 – the paranoia, the distrust, the absolute reprehensible ways we treat anyone that isn’t a pink-skin.

The film centers around a man who mysteriously disappears on a routine flight from South Africa to Washington DC and his wife (Reese Witherspoon), who will go to any means necessary to disentangle the vast government conspiracy working to cover it up. Witherspoon’s character discovers that her husband was secretly flown to a prison where he’s suspected of planning a recent bombing – and calls on an old politico friend (Peter Sarsgaard) to help her expose the truth.

Meryl Streep plays a cold-hearted intelligence bureaucrat determined to keep this all quiet; Jake Gyllenhaal is the CIA analyst based in the Middle East – whose friend was killed in the bombing – whose world falls apart after he questions his assignment following the police interrogation of the suspected terrorist, and Alan Arkin plays Sarsgaard’s boss, a senator who’s quite happy to say and do whatever is needed by his superiors.

Amazing cast, huh?

It’s hard to know why “Rendition” hasn’t done well at the box office in the U.S. Maybe it’s the storyline? Maybe it’s the fact that the storyline is so clear-cut? (things are never as straight-forward in real life – wait till we get a whiff of the rather ‘convenient’ ending here) Maybe it’s the fact that another smutty comedy was opening against it that given week? Maybe everyone mistook it for ‘The one with Tom Cruise’?

I guess you could say it isn’t as easily accessible as most films. It’s the kind of film that’s only likely to appeal to a certain demographic, and even then, those with an interest in world events and politics. In short, it ain’t “Pirates of the Caribbean”… so it’s not one for the whole clan. Even those that do like films like this may have been telepathically informed that they can do better – and they can (as my wife asked about half-way through the movie “didn’t we see this already with Angelina Jolie?”). Hood needed to attack the film with some scissors; Matthew Carnahan (“The Kingdom”) needed to do a pass on the script.

Still, “Rendition” is a very entertaining movie and features some of the best performances you’re likely to see this year – Witherspoon is excellent, Streep is as terrific as ever, Gyllenhaal is at his adaptable best, and Sarsgaard steals every scene he’s in. Don’t let another good film slip on by.

DVD EXTRAS
A good extras package here. You’ve got an insightful commentary by Hood, numerous featurettes, and some deleted scenes. For a film that did next-to-nothing at the box office, it’s a wonder they even bothered – but thanks for doing so!