Extrem... mit allen Mitteln

The first time I saw this movie back when it was released I just didn't like it but recently 2019 got to see it again and wow, it's a great movie

A thriller in the medical world. Generally, doctors abide by the Hippocratic Oath - roughly summarized as "to do good or to do no harm". Hugh Grant as the English Doctor strives to uphold this. Gene Hackman plays the role of the medical researcher, now head of a powerful medical research foundation that can influence police and politicians, believes that medical research is more important than "to do no harm" if in the long run research does provide valuable improvements to medicine. Hackman is the ominous shadow of the German Nazi doctors, 1935-1945, such as Josef Mengele, who carried out abominable medical experiments in order to promote so-called medical advancement. Thus the conflict between Grant and Hackman: Grant the loner, a promising English doctor - a follower of the Hippocratic Oath, thus the moral man, is working temporarily in America to gain valuable medical experience. Hackman, the countervailing force, the ominous medical power with wide ranging influence in public power circles, controls the lives of his captured patients in underground "catacombs", disregarding their concerns in order to achieve his results for the "benefit of mankind" . Sudden deaths, escapes, mysterious liaisons, threats, moral arguing (but only a little as this in a modern American film - historically there was plenty of moral arguing), shootings, and of course plenty of blood are the powerful ingredients to this cocktail. Grant certainly knows how to play convincingly other roles than those "English" ones which rocketed him to the top. Hackman as always is a master of his role. Well worth seeing!

I just watched this movie on TV and my mind is reeling with the ethical dilemma it raises. I thought I'd watch it while I did the ironing but I only got a couple of items done because I was glued to the movie!

I must admit also I wondered what sort of a job Hugh Grant would do in a role much more serious than we usually see, but...surprise! He is thoroughly convincing as a young surgeon troubled by some things that don't add up in the Emergency Room, troubled enough to investigate further, risking his career and ultimately his life to find out what is going on.

Definitely worth a look!

I enjoyed the suspense in this movie and the ethical debate as well. Hugh Grant, in a rare non-comedic role, was very convincing and Gene Hackman, as always, was first rate. The rest of the supporting cast, notably Sarah Jessica Parker and David Morse, were more than competent in their marginal roles. All in all, 7/10.

I just saw this for the second time, on telly, and was struck again by how good it is; not great, maybe, but a very solidly written and acted film on an intriguing premiss and leaving the viewer a bit of room to make up their own mind (this is a GOOD THING, in case anyone is wondering). Hugh Grant shows again that he can do more than play variations on this 4 Weddings character - anyone who has seen An Awfully Big Adventure will be well aware of this. And Gene Hackman is as excellent as ever. A word for Elizabeth Hurley, who produced the film, and I think it was her first: a damn good job she did, despite some unsavoury sniping in the British press about her. I'd give it an 8 out of 10