Dominic Cooper is very good but the movie is not. No character arc at all. Understandable for Uday but not for Latif. Ludvine Sagnier looks really ugly, which I thought was impossible, like a mix of the ugliest parts of Katy Perry and Christina Aguilerra.

I thought it was entertaining. It does have this odd vibe--Iraqi tragedies played as Brian De Palma vomitorium extravaganza--but Dominic Cooper is so commanding in both roles. And it just plays well as a thriller.

It does, however, definitely lose A LOT of steam after Latif escapes. Everything after--including the out-of-nowhere moment of revenge--is oddly flat.

The review I wrote when it was in theatres: http://www.worldofkj.com/article.php?i=377

The in-your-face tone makes a lot more sense if you look at Lee Tamahori's other >$100 million movies. It's almost like a spiritual sequel to Once Were Warriors.