Kompromat

"It's too long", someone wrote. Well, I disagree. First of all, French directors don't generally hew to the mad pacing American filmgoers are used to. This is quite obvious - you have to go into the theater with a different notion of what an action film should look like.

The film is extremely tight all the way through. Extraordinary attention to detail, and the cinematography is outstanding. Just beautiful. Yes, the plot is somewhat convoluted - but it's based on an incredible true story. It's also timely in that it informs the audience of the true terror people are living in, in the totalitarian state of Russia. G-d knows how many people are wrongfully imprisoned. This is the story of a man who, incredibly, was able to escape the clutches of the Russian state. It's worth watching for that reason alone.