Movie Review - Manchurian Candidate **1/2

Manchurian Candidate, The (2004)
Directed by - Jonathan Demme
Writing credits - Richard Condon (novel), George Axelrod (1962 screenplay)
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Main Cast:
Denzel Washington .... Ben Marco
Meryl Streep .... Eleanor Shaw
Liev Schreiber .... Raymond Shaw

A Rental Candidate Instead

Was it because I was tired? Doubtful, this movie wasn't as good as I expected. I think some scenes went farther than they should have been, to the point of complete disbelief and irritation. I expected an edgy film dealing with government conspiracy in a realistic modern day scenario. After all this was a remake of much older film. Without giving too much information about the movie, the outcomes and behavioral changes in the platoon could have been achieved by drugs and hypnotism alone. Spoiler here - NO NEED for brain probing and implants. I can forgive the implants, but the cheesy lines that surrendered the characters into a trance were more idiotic and funny than serious.

Many events were also too predictable. I mean common there was a woman who was overly friendly to Denzel's character. We later find out the reason, however no one is that assertive and persistant unless she's a hooker, even if it is Denzel. Movie dragged on, you are better off waiting to see this movie as rental instead.