Reviewer's Bias*
Loves: Good indie films, interesting film construction
Likes: Edgy film ideas, John Shea
Dislikes: Monologues
Hates: Extremists, a pointless ending

The Movie
Is it too soon for a film about a likable terror cell? Well, after Sleeper Cell, the Showtime series about a similar topic, and Day Night Day Night, the disturbingly realistic view into the mind of a suicide bomber in America, the answer would seem to be no. And truthfully, Arlington Road walked this road way back in 1999, in a pre-9/11 world. Either way, first-time writer/director Scott Dacko gave it a try, and the results are a polished film with tight performances and a slightly awkward, yet engaging script.

The story is pretty straight-forward to start, as a cell of four inconspicuous domestic terrorists plan a strike on an unknown target in an unknown city. But as things really get going, the film starts to play with time, jumping around in the planning as we learn more about the characters. It's a unique way to keep the story's progress from being too obvious, but even so, once you're hit with the first twist, it's not hard to see where we're going, as trust becomes an issue and the motivation for each person's role in the revolution becomes clear.

Even if the film telegraphs the story a bit, the way it's told and the acting ability of those involved makes it an enjoyable and tense ride. John Shea, the economically depressed-man's Warren Beatty (Lois & Clark,) is just right as Robert, the group's logical, charismatic and intelligent leader, countering the emotion of Hana (Juliette Marquis, Hockey Mom), a former prostitute who falls under his sway. The rebel A-Team is rounded out by Marcus (Henry Simmons, Shark, NYPD Blue), a disillusioned Iraq War vet, and James (Michael Mosley, Kidnapped), a good-ol' country boy. Despite not featuring any big names, outside of Mary Stuart Masterson, who plays a former colleague of Robert's, this is one extremely solid cast. All four are believable in their parts and appealing to watch.

Their acting has to be good though, because they are frequently saddled with some silly dialogue, which probably makes sense when you're talking about extremists. Marcus' collection of quotes and quips could fill a couple of copies of Reader's Digest, but he's hardly the only one who sounds like a college student who just discovered politics. Each of the gang of four has their own blog-worthy screed about the government and the role of America in the world and the role of the citizen in America. If you've read any of the conspiracy theories regarding 9/11, some of which are horrifically possible, it's likely it will be mentioned here, as the would-be terrorists justify their plans and lay out their cause on videotapes to be left behind. It gets a bit scary when you hear something they say that you might agree with, because you'd like to think they should simply be crazy people. Unfortunately it's never that simple.

That is, it's never that simple until the end of The Insurgents, which tries to tie up all the loose ends, but the final moment will likely leave you with a "Huh?" as it feels out of left field and inconsistent with what's come before, as if in an effort to get in one last "Ta da!" It's unfortunate, because Dacko crafts such a complete movie up until that point, showing a deft ability to maintain a flow across the threads of time in the film, resulting in a sense of momentum that makes you really want to see what's going to happen next. Until it happens.

The DVD
A one-disc release, The Insurgents is packed in a standard keepcase, and features an animated, anamorphic widescreen main menu with options to watch the film, select scenes, watch trailers and adjust the languages. There are no audio options, while subtitles are available in Spanish. There is no closed captioning.

A suggestion: get off the main menu as soon as you can. For some reason, several key points in the film are shown in the background of the menu, a fact I was thankfully unaware of until after I watched the film.

The Quality
The anamorphic widescreen transfer on this film is another example of how HD filmmaking can make a quick-and-dirty independent film look as good as any big-budget production. The color are appropriate, maintaining the film's hot and cold palettes well, while the level of detail is rather good, though there is some occasional softness that's noticable. Without film, there's no issues with dirt or damage, and there are no obvious digital artifacts in the image.

The audio is presented as a Dolby Digital 2.0 track, and considering that the film is almost entirely dialogue-driven, that's all it really needed. The presentation goes right down the middle, with a crisp clear sound, while the music is strong and maintains a good separation from the rest of the audio.

The Extras
The only film-related extra here is a trailer, and a well-made one at that. You also get a few bonus trailers thrown in for good measure.

The Bottom Line
Take your average heist film, replace the cash with political gain, put it in a blender with a quartet of quality actors and jumble. Serve with a touch of Mary Stuart Masterson in a very pretty glass, and you've got the tasty concoction that is The Insurgents. The only real negative is all the chatter around you, and the fact that you can see the bottom of the glass. Otherwise, you definitely want to taste what Dacko is serving up next. The DVD provides a solid presentation, but the lack of extras are disappointing. Even so, it's the kind of movie you can appreciate on a couple of levels, and it's a chance to see an impressive talent in its raw stages.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.