Movieloverintruesense

I've always liked Jake Gyllenhaal and might be a bit biased in that regard, but I genuinely believe The Covenant showcases one of his finest performances. At first glance, the poster gave the impression of a fairly standard war film. I had a preconceived notion that it would be just another typical Afghanistan war movie-but to my surprise, it turned out to be a hidden gem.

Jake Gyllenhaal's facial expressions were profoundly moving, especially in the final scene. The way he looks at his savior-and the quiet, almost spiritual satisfaction that washes over him after honoring his promise-was nearly indescribable. That moment carried immense weight and emotion; it transcended language and went far beyond what words could express.

When I first knew about the movie, I had least amount of expectation with it given the fact that it had lower ratings overall. I found out about the movie through Roger Ebert and ultimately led me to watch it due to his high rating of the movie. To my surprise, I wasn't let down. All the actors performed well especially Ryan Gosling and Dunst. The chemistry between them seemed beyond average. Ryan fared exceptionally well with his change in demeanor of the character as the movie progresses. We get to see the dark side of the socially disconnected character driven by his father's resentment towards him.

But the movie starts to break apart as it progresses where there seems to be an uneven pace in the screenplay although Ryan tries to hold on to it.

I'd surely recommend it for a one time watch though.

The first hour of the movie was undeniably the strongest part of the movie. Perfect screenplay, coupled with strong pace and cinematography, made me wonder if Nepali cinema has reached new heights. The casting seemed appropriate where all the actors performed well in their respective roles. Surprisingly, Nikita Chandak performed much better than I had expected. The tension in the Terai Region during the Madhesh Revolution was well shown.

However, the movie seems to break apart after an hour, rushing to meet an ending which seems open-ended to me.

All in all, it was a great watch. I recommend everyone watch it at least once.