"Death and the Maiden" claims to be a thriller, but fails to provide the classic surprise ending which is the trademark of almost every great suspense movie ever made.
It features two names forever etched into movie history; Ben Kingsley and Roman Polanski.
The pace is slow almost stagnant, and the characters are just unable to convince me that this is a way one would be likely to act if one should somehow find oneself in similar positions. The setting in some South American republic taking it's first steps towards democracy is made unrealistic by the fact that the language is English and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Escobar look all that South American.
Having said all this, it's not a bad movie. You do get a very uncomfortable feeling of what it might be like to be captured and robbed of your constitutional rights. I think Sigourney Waever does an excellent job. The scene, were she tells her husband what happened to her, is the best one in the movie.
In conclusion I'd say that this movie is more of an education than it is entertainment, but it's worth watching despite the obvious errors.
It features two names forever etched into movie history; Ben Kingsley and Roman Polanski.
The pace is slow almost stagnant, and the characters are just unable to convince me that this is a way one would be likely to act if one should somehow find oneself in similar positions. The setting in some South American republic taking it's first steps towards democracy is made unrealistic by the fact that the language is English and neither Mr. nor Mrs. Escobar look all that South American.
Having said all this, it's not a bad movie. You do get a very uncomfortable feeling of what it might be like to be captured and robbed of your constitutional rights. I think Sigourney Waever does an excellent job. The scene, were she tells her husband what happened to her, is the best one in the movie.
In conclusion I'd say that this movie is more of an education than it is entertainment, but it's worth watching despite the obvious errors.