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Review by Dustin Putman
3½ stars out of 4
An updated remake of John Frankenheimer's 1962 classic, starring Frank
Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, and Angela Lansbury—intentionally
unseen by me (I wanted a fresh perspective without any preconceived
notions or biases)—Jonathan Demme's "The Manchurian Candidate" stands
firmly and with great assuredness as its own entity. Not only is the
premise exceedingly relevant, ahead of its time forty years ago and
still freshly conceived today, but the film also works as one of this
summer's most fulfilling cinematic experiences for adult audiences.
"The Manchurian Candidate" is absolutely riveting entertainment, a
chilling portrait of human paranoia also posing as an engrossing and
visually vibrant political thriller. For director Demme, this is as
complete a motion picture from him as any since 1993's "Philadelphia"
or maybe even 1991's "The Silence of the Lambs." For audiences who
have never watched the original, they will be on the edge of their
seat and unable to guess where the story is leading at any given moment.
As for those who are familiar with the former version, you're on your own.
Thirteen years after serving in the Gulf War, U.S. Army Major Bennett
Marco (Denzel Washington) is secretly plagued by horrific nightmares
at odds with the inspiring speeches he gives concerning his platoon's
victory during an ambush in the Kuwaiti desert. Marco's memory, as
everyone else's in his platoon, tells him of the heroic actions of
Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber) that led to him receiving the
Medal of Honor, but Marco has no first-hand recollection of it. Worse,
his dreams are filled with visions of kidnapping, murder, mind-control,
and brainwashing amongst those he fought beside. When Raymond Shaw
miraculously is chosen as a Vice President candidate under the stern
eyes of his mother, Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw (Meryl Streep),
Marco sets out to prove there is more—much more—to their experiences
at war, and that Raymond Shaw may not be the admirable man he himself
believes. If Marco can't find a way to unveil the truth in time, the
future of the United States presidency, and his own sanity, will be a stake.
Exquisitely written by Daniel Pyne (2002's "The Sum of All Fears")
and Dean Georgaris (2003's "Paycheck") with a real know-how of distinguishing
realistic characters within a frightening, extravagant thriller plot
that might be less far-fetched than it first appears, "The Manchurian
Candidate" tightens its screws to a near-perfect pitch. With suitable
references to the current Iraqi War and the unavoidable controversy
in our climate concerning George W. Bush's worth as President and
leader, director Jonathan Demme's superb remake couldn't have come
at a better time. This is one arresting film; at 135 minutes, it seems
much shorter and not a moment is wasted.
The twisting plot, naturally and tautly evolving rather than a cheap
ploy to bewilder the viewer, has an actual purpose and faithfully
follows an exacting trajectory of events and epiphanies. As Marco
risks his life to prove his suspicions are correct, the viewer is
placed squarely beside him, discovering the specifics of the grisly
cover-up at the same time that he does. It is nearly impossible to
guess ahead about the what's and why's of the plot, a surefire sign
of intelligently constructed filmmaking.
The cinematography by Demme regular Tak Fujimoto (2002's "Signs")
becomes a character of its own. Using a bevy of startling close-ups
and a tendency toward having the characters face the camera, the picture
becomes a measured, jumpy study of unrelenting paranoia. Even in scenes
of apparent normality, something is deliberately skewed in the way
Fujimoto and music composer Rachel Portman (2003's "The Human Stain")
handle their technical responsibilities, making it seem as if someone
is right around the corner watching the characters. Meanwhile, the
dreams and hallucinations that befall Marco are nervously bizarre
in a horror-movie kind of way without being implausible nonsense,
each one of them leading to clarity by the time all its cards have been dealt.
In his second stirring performance of the year (after "Man on Fire"),
Denzel Washington is impeccably cast as Bennett Marco, a man who avoids
the truth, chalking his dreams and hallucinations over to post-traumatic
stress, until he can no longer deny what is really go on. Marco is
imploding on the inside even as he is exploding outwardly, a tricky
opposition that Washington effectively pulls off in spades. As Vice
President candidate Raymond Shaw, who doesn't realize he is being
controlled until it might be too late, Liev Schreiber (2001's "Kate
and Leopold") brings an affecting and conflicted vulnerability to
a part that, written wrong, could have become one-dimensional. The
same goes for the invaluable Meryl Streep (2002's "Adaptation"), whose
Senator Eleanor Prentiss Shaw is one of the most vicious and ruthless
screen characters of the year. Streep, in her usual phenomenal way,
finds the depth and humanity in a woman with very little of the latter,
digging underneath the skin of viewers with her every acute line delivery
and facial expression. And as Rose, a giving acquaintance who befriends
Marco, although not for obvious reasons, Kimberly Elise (2002's "John Q") is dazzling.
"The Manchurian Candidate" isn't some slow-paced poke through tired
material. Although much of it is dialogue-driven and paying attention
to the details are vital, every scene comes alive with an unrelenting
pace and stylish expertise of the genre, working up a mixture of tension
and brains that would do Alfred Hitchcock proud. The climax, set at
a presidential victory party and involving an assassination that isn't
the one most viewers might expect, is deliciously agonizing as it
races past its natural stopping point, refusing to relieve the palpable
disquiet of the moment until at its ultimate peak. When it comes,
the reasoning behind one particular action is the sole development
that could have used further illumination, but it doesn't hinder the
gripping, thought-provoking results. "The Manchurian Candidate," a
layered, ideal thriller of both ideas and aesthetic grandeur, is genuinely
electrifying, a return to prime form for director Jonathan Demme.
A second viewing is not only warranted, but fully welcome.
Copyright © 2004 Dustin Putman
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