IMPERIUM

US, 2016, 100 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Radcliffe, Tony Collette, Tracy Letts, Sam Trammell, Nestor Carbonell, Chris Sullivan, Burn Gorman.
Directed by Daniel Ragussis.


It is a surprise to find this title used for the contemporary story of white supremacist movements in the United States. There is a reference to the Roman Empire and its Imperium and the ambitions of the supremacists.

This is an interesting FBI thriller, a story of undercover work and infiltration of the supremacists by an FBI agent. The agent is played by Daniel Radcliffe – and his Nate is not all that far from Harry Potter in the sense that he is once again a small man, quiet and introverted, intelligent – and determined.

The film opens with the FBI solving a case with arrests and the ensuing interrogations where Nate shows his ability to empathise in many ways with the criminals and their motivations. He catches the eye of an important agent, Angela (a very effective Tony Collette) who is a thorn in the side of her fellow officers. She sees him as an ideal type who could convincingly infiltrate the supremacist organisations. He is reluctant, a more gentle soul interested in reading and music, but with a hard family background which he is trying to overcome by excelling at his work as an agent. She puts him through various paces persuading him how to be empathetic and convincing in his undercover role.

The bulk of the film sees him very persuasively ingratiating himself with a range of groups. He is able to mix with some thugs, the leader liking him and trusting him a lot while one of the underlings is most suspicious. Nate is able to continue his credibility by pointing out their sloppy approach to surveillance, communications, anger on the spot.

He has the opportunity to ingratiate himself with the leader (Tracy Letts) of the neo-Nazi group from Ohio who are wanting to spread their influence to Virginia. During a parade, the leader is attacked and is rescued by Nate, who is then given the opportunity to visit the sites, comment on the weaponry and its effectiveness and the suitability of the site for a camp.

And he also meets a theoretical supremacist, Jerry (Sam Trammell), a bookish man with a family but who has been convinced by the supremacist ideology and is persuaded to take a further step into subversive action. There is is also the Ku Klux Klan.

The FBI are aware that there is to be some kind of sabotage by explosion and the film builds up to a tense confrontation with Nate in danger in the middle of it.

The picture of the subversive groups, quite number of collages taken from actual footage, raises the alarm about the susceptibility of the American public towards the philosophies of racism and racial hatred.

1. The title, the background of the Roman Empire? The United States in the 21st century? White supremacist imperium?

2. The Washington DC settings, the offices of the FBI? Virginia, the countryside, the supremacists, the world of the thugs, the world of the neo-Nazis, Jerry and the home life, his theories? The images of the supremacists, the footage, the different groups, demonstrations, the Ku Klux Klan?

3. The episode of the seizure of the chemicals, the FBI keeping it quiet? Dallas Worth and his talking about it on the radio, FBI suspicions?

4. Angela, thorn in the side of fellow officers, provocative, her motivations, but also her information about her husband and daughters?

5. Nate, part of the group, the opening arrest, the FBI group, the men with the explosives, taking them in? The interrogations, Nate and his identifying with the criminal, talking
about pain and victims? The background of Africa, the men not wanting people to suffer as he did? Angela and her interest? The chief’s not being interested in employing Nate? His relationship with the rest of the staff?

6. Angela and her picking Nate, his being quiet, introverted, his appreciation of music, reading? The hard background story of his life, his family? His lack of confidence in himself?

7. The role of undercover, infiltration? His rehearsing, the dialogue, with Angela, her recommending Dale Carnegie and how to win friends…? In his being shrewd, his capacity for acting, his performances? Establishing the cover of the chemical’s shop?

8. Going to the bar, the encounter with Vincent, Roy, Johnny? Talk, their liking him – except Roy? His being credible as a supremacist, repeating the slogans? His shrewd observations about their lack of knowledge of security? The interracial couple and his saving them, rebuking Roy about being rash? Going to his accommodation, Roy and Johnny visiting, the loose tape, the furniture, their impression?

9. Nate, his talk, having all the right words and slogans, Vincent liking him, his meeting Jerry, at the barbecue, talking with him, his wife and children and their cubby house, being ready for the attack? The shared love of music? The neo-Nazis and their presence? Nate wanting to meet Dallas Worth, being introduced? His mixing with the group, blending in, the offer of financial support to Dallas, following it up with the $7500?

10. The FBI authorities, Nate and his regular contact with Angela, their reflections, strategies? The authorities not persuaded? Nate and his further contacts, the meetings, saving the neo-Nazi during the parade, becoming friends? Getting more information?

11. Dallas, his personality, the money, his ambitions with his show – and then his going to the FBI to complain about Nate, stating that he was an entertainer rather than political?

12. The neo-Nazis, main office in Ohio, part of the parade, new locations for action in Virginia, the attacks, the violence? Nate being seen by a friend? His saving the head of the neo-Nazis, able to infiltrate further, offering advice, the campsite, the guns and their range?

13. The discussions with Jerry, talking about being theoretical, wanting to go into action? The plan, the outsiders coming in, chemical experts? The time, the cover?

14. Nate getting the warning, going to, the danger, reactions? Contacting the authorities, the attack by the FBI and the arrests? Jerry and his reaction?

15. Undercover, the risks, performance, being alert, consistent?

16. The FBI offices, their applause, Angela satisfied? Nate and his seeing Johnny talking to the class and his change of attitude?

17. The issues in the second decade of the 21st-century?