Captured nuclear expert Steven Arthur Younger (Michael Sheen) has planted explosive devices in three U.S. cities and it is up to FBI agent Helen Brody (Carrie-Anne Moss) and a mysterious integrator known only as “H” (Samuel L. Jackson) to get the information as to their locations from him before it is too late. But do the ends justify the means, and is getting at the truth worth the price paid by the interrogators – and by the American justice system – in order to get it?

CRITIQUE

There is a reason director Gregor Jordan’s (The Informers, Buffalo Soldiers) didn’t get a theatrical release. While actor-turned-screenwriter Peter Woodward offers up a fairly intriguing and timely scenario, the film itself sadly doesn’t do anything of interest with it, and after a rather decent setup the last two acts are an increasingly silly waste of time.

It almost goes without saying that thanks to eight seasons of “24” a lot of this has a serious sense of déjà vu hovering about it. Substitute Keifer Sutherland for Jackson and you’d almost have the exact same character. The thing is, even at its lowest point that pop culture action showcase would have dispensed with the events going on in this picture in 30 minutes, tops, nothing here warranting a 97-minute running time that basically acts much like a hyperactive canine mindlessly chasing its own tail.

It’s not all bad. Sheen keeps things worthwhile much longer than they have any right to be giving Younger mystifying layers the script only hints at. Moss is also excellent, and while her character doesn’t do anything unexpected or go to a place that could remotely be described as original the criminally underrated actress did a grand job of holding my attention all the same.

Additionally, as a straight-to-DVD fodder Unthinkable is certainly a heck of a lot better than the usual action/thriller drivel many of the studios usually throw out there. While there isn’t a ton on this film’s mind what is there is at least casually interesting, and even if the end destination isn’t worth getting to those who find themselves everything up until that point are probably going to be a lot more forgiving towards the title than I ultimately am.

Still, this was not a movie I personally enjoyed. Jackson seems to be sleepwalking, turning in another paycheck performance in a career (much like Michael Caine) sadly littered with a plethora of them. I also found Jordan’s direction to be much too on the nose, and if he thinks he’s hiding any of the script’s twists or turns I’m in a camp stating I don’t feel he was particularly successful. Woodward’s story is as obvious as it is didactic, and as good as Sheen and Moss are and as nice as the opening third can be the final hour is so tiredly rudimentary and routine even at sitting at home I found it hard to rationalize watching the film all the way through to the end.

THE VIDEO

Unthinkable is presented in 1.85:1/1080p widescreen. A solid transfer, nothing more.

THE AUDIO

Available audio includes English 5.1 DTS-HD with optional English SDH and English subtitles.

THE EXTRAS

Special Features include:

• Extended Version with Alternate Ending – Seven minutes longer and with a slightly different conclusion, this version of the film is no more interesting than the original cut.
• Commentary with Director Gregor Jordan – I’ll be upfront and admit I didn’t listen to it. After watching the movie twice, I just had no interest in hearing what the filmmaker had to say about it. On the upside, DVDBeaver called Jordan’s commentary “pretty entertaining,” which is a lot more than I can actually say for either version of the feature itself.
• BD-Live Enabled (Blu-ray exclusive)
• movieIQ Enabled (Blu-ray exclusive) 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Unthinkable, even though it has a solid premises and features two strong performances from Sheen and Moss, is a highly forgettable thriller that did nothing for me. I can’t imagine I’ll ever take the time to watch it again.