Pacionsbo
Absolutely Fantastic
Livestonth
I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Curt
Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.
bcheng93
i must say, i'd rather watch these types of movies then a blockbuster any day. the whole movie had three actors in it and not a minute was boring. this movie was fictional but truth be told stuff a lot worse than that happened down in certain countries in south America.sir Ben Kingsley...what a universal treasure the man is and ms. sigourney weaver who i rate as one of the best actresses of any generation. OK, a little bit about the movie, at the start of the movie when she opens the door and goes out into the heavy downpour it enlightened her and at the end the waves set her free and shes finally able to let go. this movie would definitely be shown in film school and should be a requisite. an all time classic in my opinion...and by the way Stuart Wilson did a fine job also as the husband...i mean it's a wonder he didn't just disappear into the background because of the two super strong leads, so complements to him.
moviesleuth2
We hear about it all the time; people have been harmed in the most unspeakable ways, causing pain that most of us cannot begin to even imagine. If this happened to you, what would you do if the person who hurt you walked into your house? This kind of moral quagmire has been approached before in films. Many times, in fact. The torture angle is new though. Unfortunately, that's all that's new about this story.But this is the situation that one woman, Paulina Escobar (Sigourney Weaver), an ex-activist who was horrifically tortured in order to give up the name of a fellow activist (who later became her husband), finds herself in, when a man (Ben Kingsley) is invited into their home after helping her husband (Stuart Wilson). She is convinced that this man, Dr. Miranda, is the one who brutalized her. He denies it, of course. And her husband, now a high-powered lawyer, is caught in the middle.This film could have gone in two opposite directions: a high-powered, claustrophobic thriller or a leadened message movie. Fortunately, it's not the latter (no one is going to mistake this movie for a UNICEF infomercial), but sadly, it's not the former either. It's somewhere in the middle. There are moments of where it works, but overall it's pretty boring.Part of the reason is that the most important part is miscast. Sigourney Weaver is a good actress, but she's not right for this role. She has moments of effectiveness (Weaver is good at being vulnerable), but when she tries to act menacing, she's awful. Ben Kingsley is terrific, though, as the may-or-may not be torturer. He keeps us on our toes, and we never know whether or not he's innocent. Noted character actor Stuart Wilson is actually able to keep up with the Oscar-winner and Oscar-nominee.The problem isn't necessarily with Roman Polanski's approach. "Death and the Maiden" is heavy on the atmosphere, although it could have used some more claustrophobia to increase the tension. The problem is that the script, based on the play, is rather bland. There's nothing that really draws us into the story, and it doesn't take any risks. Thus what could have been a powerful and provocative drama or thriller (take your pick) becomes inert.It's not a total waste; the film effectively keeps us guessing who's telling the truth. But the suspense isn't there, even though it has plenty of opportunity to build. However, the ending of the film is horrible. What happens not only doesn't make sense, it's actually more than slightly reprehensible.This isn't a bad film, just a wasted opportunity.
pwpw63
I've seen this twice and the impact was no less the second time. It's a story about power, the abuse of it, the search for justice and relationships. I'm in awe of Weaver's acting ability. Yes, it's a great role but she makes it that. She is a queen in my opinion; she mesmerizes. And the interplay between the three actors is such that even though there are moments when it is difficult to continue watching, you cannot look away.This film shows some very real glimpses into the worst of our human nature and the deepest part of who we are in our quest for peace and resolution.
christopher-underwood
Hovering between giving this 9 or 10 out of ten, I quickly decided on the latter. If it's a perfect film, then a perfect score is surely appropriate. Three things have kept me from viewing this in the past, despite a great regard for the director's work going back forty years. One was the subject matter and the prospect of watching or listen tell of harrowing torture scenes. But the other two are the two leads. For some reason I have never taken to the work of Sigourney Weaver, I think maybe she appeared over rated for her role in Alien and never quite settled into much else. Ben Kingsley, I have felt also had a slightly over inflated view of himself and always had some problem with accents. Anyway, putty my pettiness behind me I watched a nail biting, thoroughly engrossing and exciting and thoughtful film. Beautifully paced and wonderfully performed by all concerned (except maybe for Kingsley's accent!) this is a must see piece of cinema. Not a wasted frame and just the right mix of action and dialogue allows the latter to shine as it deserves.
