Incendiary Review

"Incendiary" reviews

Movie

Incendiary

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-10-14 12:00:19

Provider

Review

A terrorist attack at a football stadium leaves a mother widowed, childless and struggling to hold on to life in this London based drama.

A police bomb disposal officer’s wife (Michelle Williams) has her urban tower block life blown apart when a terrorist attack at a football game kills both her husband and son. Her guilt and shock is compounded as the news reaches her whilst she cavorts with successful journalist, Jasper (Ewan McGregor) in her flat. Her loss demolishes her. And there are further dramas ahead when she finds herself manipulated into meeting the terrorist behind the attacks' son.

This is a confused movie that is wrestling with trying to be an almost poetic psychodrama on one hand and an out and out thriller on the other. It will get attention simply because of William's personal loss of Heath Ledger (her daughter’s father). However, real life events shouldn’t overshadow her exceptional portrayal of a gentle, rambunctious and loving mother who dissolves into a fragile, wounded and shattered hostage to consequences. Contrarily, McGregor’s dislikable rogue is unconvincing and Matthew MacFadyen’s bearded gentlemanly policeman jars: Could someone so socially inept rise to such a position?

An uneven film then, but with opposing plotlines that still manages to catch you off guard and give you a deep insight to one person’s perspective on an act of terror. All backed by an outstanding Michelle Williams.