Three out of
Five stars
Running time:
92 mins
Superbly acted political thriller with an intriguingly balanced script, though it's slightly let down by its low production values.
What's it all about?
Loosely (and unofficially) based on the story of Daniel Pearl, Infinite Justice stars Kevin Collins as Jewish American journalist Arnold Silverman, who begins investigating the financial network of Al-Qa'ida after his sister dies in the attacks on the World Trade Centre. Meanwhile, flashbacks reveal how first generation British Pakistani Kamal Khan (Raza Jaffrey) becomes gradually politicised after meeting up with an old school friend (Irvine Iqbal) who has become a Muslim fundamentalist.
Silverman's investigations eventually lead him to Pakistan but he's kidnapped while on his way to an interview and held hostage by Muslim fundamentalists against the release of prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. Kamal turns out to be one of his captors and the two men gradually discover a mutual respect for each other, unaware that forces beyond their control are conspiring against them.
The Good
The performances from the two leads are excellent. Collins brings an intelligence and an intensity to Silverman that works well, while Jaffrey's sympathetic portrayal is extremely illuminating and addresses a point of view that is often denied to us - there is no equivalent figure in A Mighty Heart, for example.
The script maintains an intriguing balance throughout, refusing to demonise Kamal and finding a certain amount of sympathy in his story. Similarly, director Jamil Delhavi orchestrates some tense sequences, including a climactic sequence that is genuinely shocking.
The Bad
The film's biggest problem is that it's shot on video and looks rather cheap and amateurish as a result – it would probably play much better on television, were it not for the 15 certificate ending.
Worth seeing?
In short, if you don't mind the low production values then Infinite Justice is an engaging, provocative thriller that is well worth seeking out, despite its limited release.