Essential Killing (2010)

An Afghan POW attempts his escape.

Director:

Jerzy Skolimowski

Writers:

Jerzy Skolimowski (screenplay), Ewa Piaskowska (screenplay),

Stars:

Vincent Gallo, Emmanuelle Seigner, Zach Cohen

14 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vincent Gallo	...	Mohammed
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Margaret
Zach Cohen	...	American Contractor 1
Iftach Ophir	...	American Contractor 2
Nicolai Cleve Broch	...	Helicopter Pilot 1
Stig Frode Henriksen	...	Helicopter Pilot 2
David L. Price	...	Interrogation Officer (as David Price)
Tracy Spencer Shipp	...	Young Soldier in Suv
Mark Gasperich	...	Head of Pursuit Team
Phillip Goss	...	Military Doctor
Klaudia Kaca	...	Woman on a Bicycle
Dariusz Juzyszyn	...	Logger
Raymond Josey	...	American Soldier
Robert Mazurkiewicz	...	Hunter
Janusz Wojtarowicz	...	Margaret's Husband

Storyline

A Taliban member who lives in Afghanistan is taken captive by the Americans after killing an American soldier and two contractors. He is transferred to Europe for interrogation but manages to escape from his captors and becomes an escaped convict on a continent he does not know.

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Plot Keywords:

escape | afghanistan | interrogation | captive | on the run | 

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Taglines:

Run to live... kill to survive (UK)

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Genres:

Thriller | War

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

Poland Norway Ireland Hungary France

Language:

English Polish Arabic

Release Date:

22 October 2010 (Poland)

Also Known As:

Essence

Filming Locations:

Enebakkneset, Akershus, Norway

Box Office

Budget:

€3,167,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Skopia Film, Cylinder Production, Element Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Vincent Gallo's role demanded him to do things like walk barefoot on the snow with the temperature reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius.

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Goofs

After Mohammed falls in the water he climbs out of the lake. However, in the following scene with the dog he seems dry.

User Reviews

Pure action , unstopped chase and thrills when a Taliban escapes and is relentlessly pursued

An Afghan POW attempts his escape , but he is captured by the US military in Afghanistan , he is named Mohammed (Vincent Gallo) and is transported to a secret military black site somewhere in the Eastern Europe , being transferred for interrogation (David Price as interrogation officer) at a installation similarly to Guantanamo . When the armed convoy which transports to him suffers a crash accident , Mohammed manages to getaway from his captors , as he escapes across a steep hill, among snowy outdoors and freeze landscapes . Relentlessly chased by an army that officially does not exist, , Monhammed attempts to survive when he finds a countrywoman named Margaret (Emmanuelle Seigner) .

This frenzied movie contains pure action-packed , thriller , suspense , frozen hell and thought-provoking moments . This exciting picture results to be a co-production between Poland|Norway|Ireland| Hungary and deals with an interminable chase in which the protagonist finds himself suddenly free and on the run behind the enemy lines , being relentlessly pursued by American troops on a continent he does not know , that seems to see somewhere in the Eastern Europe . Awesome interpretation by Vincent Gallo as Mohammed , a man who must constantly confront the need to murder in order to survive . Gallo is superb as a real Taliban as physical as playing . Vincent Gallo's role demanded him to do things like walk barefoot on the snow with the temperature reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius. In the breastfeeding scene, Vincent Gallo insisted on getting a real lactating woman for the role. Furthermore , there appears in a secondary role Emmanuelle Seigner , Roman Polanski's muse and wife . While some characters are named in the end credits, no names are used in the film itself . Very good and colorful cinematography by Adam Sikora , showing splendidly hostile, snow blanketed forests and cold landscapes . Emotive and sensitive musical score by Pawel Mykietyn . The motion picture was compellingly directed by the Polish Jerzy Skolimowski . He is a prestigious director, playwright, scriptwriter, painter and actor . And one of the best Polish filmmakers along with Roman Polanski and Andrzej Wajda , both of them are good friends . As Skolimowski has directed good films such as ¨Adventures of Gerard¨ , ¨Deep end¨ , ¨The shout¨, ¨The lightship¨ , ¨Success is the best revenge¨ , ¨Torrents of spring¨ , among others .¨Essential Killing¨ rating : Good , better than average , worthwhile watching .