High Crimes (2005, DVD)

Jim Caviezal is not given top billing in this film, but he should be. The character that he plays is very complex.

This is not Morgan Freeman's best work for the thriller genre. I think he took this role to break from his stereotypical "Responsible hero-leader" roles, such as the American President in "Deep Impact", Alex Cross in "Kiss the Girls" and "Along Came a Spider", or the detective in "Seven." "Kiss the Girls" (which also includes Ashley Judd) is better example of his acting capabilities in a thriller.

Ashley Judd is solid in this film. She does not overplay her role.

This film definitely has stronger elements than most modern thrillers, hinting at danger and intrigue without betraying who is actually responsible. It does not tip its hand too early. For example, one of the most chilling moments in the film is set in a grocery store. While she is shopping for frozen food, a man Claire Kubik never met before begins to tell her about psychologically "beating the box." "Why are you telling me this?" she responds. "I don't know, but I think you do," he says. The man then disappears, leaving you to wonder who he was, where he came from, and why he would be involved. That is one of the best storytelling scenes for a thriller to come along in quite some time. It raises important questions without answering them, using a mysterious character that drifts in and out of the film like a shadow.

However, despite its moments of excellence, I give this movie a three because of its inconsistencies and occasional over-the-top breaks with reality. One such Hollywood moment is when a Marine enters an interrogation room and immediately begins to physically attack someone under interrogation. That's just stupid. Marines, especially those selected for covert combat missions, are trained to be focused, not reactive. Since the plot revolves around the integrity of the USMC's chain of command, this scene severely erodes the plot's believability. If the best of the best offer nothing more than vigilante justice, who cares who the good guys and bad guys are?

In terms of time, this movie is about eight-to-fifteen minutes longer than it needs to be. Toward the conclusion, the plot stretches thin. You began to ask, "OK, guys, when are you going to put two and two together? All the evidence is leading to one conclusion, yet you still act like you need to find more clues." These glaring inconsistencies undercut an otherwise well-produced film. It is worth seeing once if you enjoy thrillers.