THE INTERPRETER

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Because of: language, brief partial nudity, thematic elements

Rated:

With political correctness at its peak, it's unusual to see a film that doesn't immediately assume a completely one-sided bias. The Interpreter does cater in the realm of pacifism and democracy rather than immediate action, but is also a thinking man's film that can be enjoyed by both sides of the debate. It is difficult to follow, but ultimately rewarding for its audience, bearing us through a labyrinth of twists and turns that accumulate in a dynamic conclusion.

When the discovery of a disabled security scanner at the United Nations sends the building into emergency lockdown, interpreter Silvia Broome (Nichole Kidman) is forced to leave a few personal items behind in the office. Returning to retrieve them after hours, she overhears plans to assassinate a visiting African dignitary from the region in which she spent most of her childhood. Not immediately associating the cryptic translation with the impending visit of the dictator, she delays twenty-four hours in notifying the appropriate authorities. Only when she becomes convinced someone is stalking her does she give the information to her boss, who places her under the investigation of FBI agent Tobin Keller (Sean Penn). Suffering the recent loss of his wife in an automobile accident, and newly returned to work, Keller finds it difficult to believe that Silvia is telling the truth. She "plays with words" for a living, and shares a different view of democracy than he does. It may be only a plea for attention.

His investigations turn up immense amounts of evidence against her, drudging up her brother's association with terrorist groups in Africa, her presence at war rallies, and the loss of her parents and younger sister in an incident with a land mine. Then there's the evil dictator they are called in to protect. The US government is obligated to follow every lead, and protect every visiting dignitary, even a man they despise who has bathed the streets of his country in blood. Only when an attempt is made on Sylvia's life does Keller become convinced that she's telling the truth. The two are constantly at odds, but must come together to prevent international disaster. What results is a surprisingly well-crafted thriller so intense that you will be holding your breath. I wasn't expecting much, but this interesting take on political assassinations and foreign policies appealed to my interest in world events as much as it provided quality entertainment.

There are some political statements made on the side of pacifism. Silvia holds the view that words speak louder than action, and gives Keller a magnificent, flowery speech about talking rather than fighting. Shortly thereafter she takes matters into her own hands and intends to resort to violence. No opposing view is stated, but Keller isn't a pacifist. I won't insult my audience by comparing this to recent political views, but for the nitpicker, a sometimes not so subtle nod toward pacifism is present, along with praise for the United Nations. I am extremely devoted to my political views, but this film never offended me. It presents an alternate viewpoint, and leaves the audience to form its own conclusion. It also shows the evil in mankind. I believe that it's fair enough not to become a political foil in entertainment. It's also surprisingly decent in content. There is occasional graphic violence, the worst being two men gunned down by children in a football stadium, and a public bus exploding in a terrorist attack. Men are shot and killed.

Language consists of a handful of profanities and vulgarities (most of them are s**t), but there are two abuses of Jesus and GD. We briefly see Keller guarding the foreign prime minister in a strip club. Scantily clad females dance in the background, and a topless girl (only her back, and skimpy thong are shown) is ordered to move back from the official. What surprised me is that it's not as much of a thriller (although it delivers scares aplenty) as an exploration of grief. It's nice to see a man mourning the loss of his wife. The only improvement that could have been made was more indication of who people were. The film is moving so fast that if you're not paying close attention, you will rapidly become lost. It demands a second or third viewing to sort out all the missing pieces. It has a powerful message about justice taking precedence over vengeance, and learning to save your enemies lives in order to free your soul from becoming consumed with hatred.