The true story of anti-apartheid activists in South Africa, and particularly the life of Patrick Chamusso, a timid foreman at Secunda CTL, the largest synthetic fuel plant in the world. Patrick is wrongly accused, imprisoned and tortured for an attempt to bomb the plant, with the injustice transforming the apolitical worker into a radicalised insurgent, who then carries out his own successful sabotage mission.
Acting
Derek Luke's physical transformation from broken to burning.
Direction
Noyce's documentary-style restraint makes torture scenes worse.
Writing
Vos isn't a monster—he believes he's right. Chilling.
Director
Phillip Noyce
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Real Patrick Chamusso appears in the final scene as himself, and Phillip Noyce shot at the actual Secunda plant where Chamusso worked.
Released in 2006 during the height of War on Terror debates, the film's torture sequences sparked uncomfortable parallels to Abu Ghraib.
GB
US
