FilmSnobReviews

Title: Imperium
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Daniel Ragussis
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Toni Collette, Sam Trammell
Runtime: 1 hr 49 min

What It Is: An FBI agent “Nate” (Radcliffe) with a chip on his shoulder is eager to prove himself. When he’s asked by more senior agent Angela (Collette) to go undercover as a white supremacist. This is in order to check the validity of claims made by a radical “alt-right” radio host Dallas Wolf (Tracy Letts) in relation to his terrorist ideals. Now Nate has to navigate this new world in his first assignment. An assignment that may prove more explosive than initially thought.

What We Think: Daniel Radcliffe is 100% determined to show he’s not Harry Potter anymore. Here he does an incredible job of doing just that. Out of the frying pan and into the fire with this one. It is an intriguing yarn being spun and a thriller that will keep just long enough. Here, however, lies the problem. It holds you just long enough to let you down completely in the third act. It is this jumbled misfire that I found to be the films biggest flaw. That does not take away from the otherwise gripping nature of this fantastic film.

Our Grade: B, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. See this film as quickly as possible. It is worth your consideration if not solely for the performance of Daniel Radcliffe. I could see where a film with this subject matter could leave a bad taste in the audience’s collective mouths. What with seeing the young man formally known as Harry Potter use the “N” word. That threw me, to say the least. Regardless of that check out this film or perhaps Now You See Me 2, Victor Frankenstein, What If or Horns if you wanna see more good work from Radcliffe.