Saturday, July 31, 2010

The Manchurian Candidate

The US government does a lot of things, apparently for a reason, although not many comprehend it, let alone agree. Nevertheless this small fact doesn't deter them from trying their many stunts. The Manchurian Candidate, for example, is supposedly based on true incidents. Obviously there is no one to corroborate it, but what a helluva movie this turns out to be. Must see for sure.

The human mind is one amazing apparatus. It can take us to dizzying heights of euphoria and in a flip second it can plunge into despair and depression. It would not be wrong to say, that our mind, indeed, does have a mind of its own! and it does one helluva job storing, memories, information and the sundry tid-bits. It's all there somewhere in its dark crevices, to be accessed at the appropriate time. But, imagine, what if someone tinkered with your mind? you know, tweaks your memory a little bit...for their own sinister needs? How does the idea of brain manipulation sound?

The movie begins with a group of soldiers in Iraq during operation desert storm. The party is ambushed; Captain Ben Marco (Denzel Washington), the platoon's commanding officer, is knocked unconscious. Seargent Raymond Prentiss Shaw (Liev Schreiber) emerges as the hero, who saves the platoon. For his heroics, he is awarded the medal of honor and eventually emerges as a popular vice-presidential nominee. All is well until, (now) Major Marco is haunted by incessant dreams of the ambush. Is all what it seems? did Raymond Shaw deserve the adulation and honor, so generously heaped on him? What if the reality is not what it is?

The pursuit of truth reveals more than what Major Marco, could have ever imagined. As he tries to put semblance to his sanity, he uncovers a plot of bizarre ramifications,if revealed, it could destroy the present career of Raymond. The murky web of deception and lies that exposes the personal agenda of the power brokers who have become hungry beyond reason or reality. The powerful consortium of the US government & the rich corporate world, which together profits from the war and resultant chaos. Anything and everything is justified in their pursuit of power & control. In this mission of exposing the truth, one can trust no one and believe no one. Just imagine if the people you trust the most are the ones you need to be distrustful of. Paranoia rules.

The Manchurian Candidate is a remake of the 1962 thriller of the same name. The movie has been updated from the Korean war to Iraq war. With stellar performances by Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, this political thriller is a must watch.

It will make you question...what if...?

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