Unthinkable (2010)

A psychological thriller centered around a black-ops interrogator and an F.B.I. Agent who press a suspect terrorist into divulging the location of three nuclear weapons set to detonate in the U.S.

Director:

Gregor Jordan

Writer:

Peter Woodward

Stars:

Samuel L. Jackson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Michael Sheen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Henry Harold 'H' Humphries
Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Agent Helen Brody
Michael Sheen	...	Steven Arthur Younger
Stephen Root	...	Charles Thompson
Lora Kojovic	...	Rina Humphries
Martin Donovan	...	Assistant Director Jack Saunders
Gil Bellows	...	Agent Vincent
Vincent Laresca	...	Agent Leandro
Brandon Routh	...	Agent D.J. Jackson
Joshua Harto	...	Agent Phillips
Holmes Osborne	...	General Paulson
Michael Rose	...	Colonel Kerkmejian
Randy Oglesby	...	Mr. Bradley
Benito Martinez	...	Alvarez
Sasha Roiz	...	Interrogator Lubitchich

Storyline

A convert to Islam sends the U.S. government a tape showing him in three nondescript storage rooms, each of which may contain a nuclear bomb set to detonate in less than a week. Helen Brody, an FBI agent in L.A., is tasked with finding the bombs while a CIA "consultant," known as H, interrogates the suspect who has allowed himself to be caught. The suspect, whose wife and children have left him and disappeared, seems to know exactly what the interrogation will entail. Even as H ratchets up the pressure, using torture over Brody's objection, the suspect doesn't crack. Should H do the unthinkable, and will Brody acquiesce? Is any Constitutional principle worth possible loss of life?

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Plot Keywords:

torture | interrogation | muslim | electric shock | torture device | 

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Taglines:

How far would you go to make him talk?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, torture and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The assistant to "H" is played by Steve Lucescu, a stunt fighting/martial arts coordinator for dozens of well known films.

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Goofs

In the old school, the shoes of Helen change from pumps with pointy heels to pumps with thicker heels several times.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Steven Arthur Younger: [into video camera] My name is Steven Arthur Younger. I am an American citizen.

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Alternate Versions

Extended version features an alternate ending where a team of FBI agents approach one of the bombs in a building. An FBI agent disarms the bomb, the team celebrates, and the camera pans to another bomb that's hidden. The bomb counts down to the time of its detonation and the film ends.

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Connections

Follows Room 13: The Terrorist Project (2003)

User Reviews

An excellent "what-if" scenario that will make you think

Carrie-Anne Moss represents the average citizen watching this movie, having a facade of superior human rights beliefs (that we tend to have in western countries) that gradually get whittled away as the situation in the movie get more desperate.

How far are we really willing to go to save millions of people? When the entire country is at stake, how far is the US really willing to go with dealing with terrorists? We can claim our governments are moral and upholding human rights, but at the end of the day, the government can do whatever it wants. It doesn't need your approval, and it will do what it believes is required for self-preservation. This movie flaunts that idea.

Unthinkable has excellent mind-play and dialogue that really gets you thinking and challenges what we really believe about human rights.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian Ukrainian

Release Date:

26 May 2010 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Impensable

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,669,947

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lleju Productions, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Kimmel International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1