Director: Kelly Reichardt

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard

Rating: 15

Running Time: 112mins

Release Date: January 12th on DVD and Blu-ray

Director Kelly Reichardt has created an edgy, gripping thriller about three mismatched eco-warriors planning to blow up a hydroelectric dam. Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning are the environmentalist and college dropout duo who team up with Peter Sarsgaard‘s ex-marine to deliver a payload of explosives via the eponymous boat.

NIGHT MOVES is a mixed-genre affair, guaranteed to satisfy fans of film noir, thrillers and indie-arthouse movies, which grips the audience on a thrilling roller coaster ride from the get-go.  

The first half of the film offers a sophisticated blend of psychological intrigue and growing tension, which paves the way beautifully for the heart rate increasing tension that is yet to come, as preparations for the raid are put into place with nail-biting  superiority.

Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard play a trio of passionate environmental activists: Josh, Dena and Harmon, respectively. They all live rather normal lives: Josh lives and works at a co-operative farm, Dena is a close friend of his and Harmon is an ex-Marine of Josh’s acquaintance, who sports long hair and is very opinionated with idealistic views.

The companions are all outraged by the use of conventional environmental activism and they are planning direct action. This comes in the form of blowing up a hydro-electric dam, which is destroying wildlife. The big secret weapon to their plan is Dena’s family, who aren’t short of a few pennies and pay for the 1,500lb of ammonium-based fertiliser needed for the explosives and puts up £6,000 in untraceable cash to buy a cruiser, which they will turn into a huge floating bomb.

Sounds complicated? Definitely. Their plan can only succeed if they set sail up to the dam wall under the cover of darkness during the weekend, set the timer, and escape via a canoe named Night Moves. Of course, it all sounds like quite the challenge and things don’t pan out as they hope and the team are forced to deal with the consequences of their actions…

Reichardt is sublime at eking out the long, slow, dangerous fallout of their operation and the all-important aftermath as normality tries to resume. 

The performances from the cast members are what add even more success to the film. Eisenberg superbly conveys his character who is very withdrawn, giving an impression of a guy who has learned to cover his emotions. Fanning’s onscreen chemistry with Eisenberg naturally exudes from the screen and makes their relationship all the more believable. Then there is Sarsgaard, who delivers the role of Harmon, an ex-soldier, with such swagger, control and imposes himself well during the scenes with great authority. 

Overall, NIGHT MOVES is a moody action film full of tantalising suspense – a brilliant, disturbing spectacle.

Verdict

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Interviews with Kelly Reichardt & Jesse Eisenberg

• Trailers

• Short Film

Please follow and like us: