Ah yes. Another film based on the outcome of 9/11 but does Hollywood get it right?! That's always the question and the answer is usually "no". But, is this one a "yes"?! Not likely.

I always struggle a bit to determine whether a film should be reviewed based on its ability to be accurate or its ability to entertain?! What would the writers and directors want? Accuracy or enjoyment? What would the viewers want?!

This film is a mixed bag of good acting and directing with writing that is quite obviously bent towards the dramatic. The pacing is pretty good and Tahar Rahim knocks his role out of the park. It's always nice to see Jodie Foster in modern roles even if her previous modern efforts were a bit "meh". She does a good job here.

My biggest problem with these types of movies is they are meant to stir up emotion to sell you on something that isn't necessarily there. On the contrary, this film (and topic) would likely be considered boring without the penchant for drama and overselling the situation. Undoubtedly it's wrong for any person or Government to detain someone indefinitely and after 9/11, the US Government took FULL advantage of its citizen's emotions to enact draconian policies. Not all that unseemlier to the situation many find themselves in today with lockdowns.

There were several moments in the film where I had to dismiss what I knew to be extreme drama for the purpose of selling itself to views but I feel the movie overall is a real good watch. The sad truth of 2021 is that most people don't do any research and seem to base their opinions off fictional dramas that are "based on real events" when the reality of the situation is much more straight forward or in this case, much more complicated. So complicated the story shouldn't be told?! No and this film does a good job at breaching the topic compared to other attempts.

In the end... if you just want to watch a movie that ever so slightly informs you of the situation while keeping you entertained... this film does that very well. But, as with most all things Hollywood, if you seek more accurate information about what occurred, go read real stories. The reality isn't better than the fiction or more entertaining... but it is worth knowing outside of the "based on a real story" narrative.

Yes, people, we really did this stuff. We tortured and held/hold people without trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed can't even be tried in a court of law because he was tortured during his questioning and subsequent confessions thus making them inadmissible in a court of law, at least in a U.S. court--and we know he was guilty. The entire idea of American justice and human rights was completely compromised because of the George Bush administration's need to "punish" someone, anyone for the attacks of 9/11 (not to mention that they waged two failed wars).

What sort of sub-human animal would torture another human being? We did that, our country did that. Perhaps this film will educate a few people to this indisputable reality. We tortured prisoners in Iraq at Abu Graib, at other black sites around the world, and at the Guantanamo Detention Center. This is a fact. The Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld signed off on the plan to torture prisoners held in U.S. custody.

The film never completely exonerates Slahi who went on to publish his memoir and become world famous. Nice job, Rumsfeld. The people we held and currently hold in Guantanamo represent no existential threat to the security of the United States. We need to either try them or release them. They are criminal masterminds, these people are scientists creating some new and horrible weapon to destroy us, they are simple religious fanatics dedicated to their insane causes. There is no shortage in the world of insane religious fanatics hell bent on the destruction of the United States. A few more of them out there won't make a difference. Compromising the values and ideals of our great democracy will.

Our policies under Bush created terrorists.

The greed for the black gold and keeping the business of War Machines alive, the plot made by the satanic think tanks let the human race of all religions to suffer a lot in the entire world. And this is the story of one of the victims other than those who died in the 9/11. Still the Satan is wiping off the human race using human against human. A masterpiece of 2021.