BENT

US, 2018, 96 minutes, Colour.
Karl Urban, Sofia Vergara, Andy Garcia, John Finn, Vincent Spano.
Directed by Robert Maresco.

Bent, as the title indicates, is a thriller about corruption. There is ambiguity in the opening sequences, audiences unsure whether the two policemen on a raid are bent or not. The raid goes wrong, there is an undercover policeman present, there are shootings – and the central character finds himself in prison, denounced by the criminal on the boat of the initial raid.

The film turns into a revenge drama, Karl Urban as Danny, the imprisoned policeman, going to his all-time mentor played by Andy Garcia, who warns him that if he gets what he most desires he will lose himself. Using his skills as a detective, he tracks down the people responsible fairly quickly, comes in contact with a government official, Sofia Vergara, who, of course, turns out to be a femme fatale.

There are some deceptions, Danny achieving his ambitions in some way but his old mentor sacrificing his own life and Danny.

Karl Urban has a screen intensity.

1. The title? Police corruption? Ambiguities? Criminal exploitation

2. Louisiana location photography, the city, waterways, boats, piers? Government offices? The musical score?

3. The focus on Danny, police, the initial raid, the bag of money, the, the discussion about betting? Audience judgement on Danny? The attack on the boat, the bet about the tough man and his cigarette, Charlie and his being forward, discussions, confrontation, shootings, the dead policeman, Driscoll and shooting Charlie? Danny and his drawing his gun, crew shooting?

4. The transition to prison, Danny getting out? Going to see Jimmy, memories of his father and their friendship? Jimmy as X-police, stances, selling bait? Warning Danny about getting revenge, getting what he wanted most and losing himself?

5. Danny and his situation, listening to Katie sing, the relationship, is going on the raid? Severing ties with Katie in prison? Driving past the new job, phoning her, her sadness at his mistrust?

6. The information to Driscoll had given information to the courts, was getting out on April 6, Danny and his calendar, planning revenge?

7. Danny and his checking the various leads, friends, information? Information about Pearce, the product of the film, piers looking out the window, his wife, the car blowing up? Danny and his going to the government offices, his ability to ask innocent questions, pretend to be lost, get guidance? The information about lunch and pierces discussions with him, the government department, finances?

8. The encounter with Rebecca, her working for the Department, her explanations, the issues of the money? Her personality, seductive, sexual encounter? Danny, going to visit Loach, realising that Rebecca was not telling him the truth? The phone call, her going to the pier, the confrontation, the pulling of the guns, her death?

9. Information from the friend, the expert on ballistics, going into the countryside, the confrontation? His giving the information, proving that Rebecca was lying? Getting the gun for Danny and the silencer?

10. Danny and his resolve, his scheme, taking down Rebecca, the issues with Pearce, Loach as innocent?

11. He’s going to visit Jimmy, the truth about Driscoll, Jimmy and his secrets, Driscoll’s hold over him? His regrets? Giving Danny the address? Driscoll, out of jail, Jimmy and his visit, the fish in the discussion about cooking? Jimmy and his stabbing Driscoll, his being stabbed? Danny and the phone call, infiltrating the wrong house, Jimmy saying it was the right house?

12. The irony of the house, Katie’s house, the reconciliation? Jimmy and his self-sacrifice?