Daniel Radcliffe has done a fantastic job of shedding the skin of Harry Potter! He’s taken risks, such as in the outlandish existential comedy “Swiss Army Man,” playing a reanimated farting corpse learning the intricacies of life whilst trying to survive on a deserted island. He tapped into his creepy side in “Horns” and “The Woman in Black,” two radically different horror films both pulling out strong emotional performances from him. Even in lesser fare, such as “Now You See Me 2,” his charisma is on full display. The more I watch him, the less I see Harry Potter.
Not once did I think back to his boy wizard role when watching “Imperium.” I completely bought into Radcliffe as Nate Foster, an eager FBI agent ready to prove his worth by going undercover as a white supremacist to foil a possible race war. I saw the eagerness and fear in his eyes in the beginning, bracing himself for such a dangerous task. I watched as he grew more comfortable in his new persona, controlling the room with brash confidence. And yet, I could see the doubt in his body language: the way he’d slightly fumble over his words, get lost in his own mind, and hesitate to act on his emotions.
It’s a shame he’s stuck in a rather pedestrian thriller, one that’s comfortable going through the motions. Writer/director Daniel Ragussis pulls his punches, littering his script with the requisite moments of tension found in all undercover thrillers. The anxious undercover agent who, on his first gig, is nearly flawless in his execution. Anytime he’s nearly tripped up, he catches himself and responds with vigor and intelligence. Nate knows everything about his cover despite initially being shown as fumbling over everything. He knows every intricate detail about being a black ops veteran, schooling his newfound Nazi brethren on war tactics. He even knows every conspiracy theory, including minute beliefs such as how ketchup and practically every grocery item are regulated and taxed by the Jews.
I can let the almost corny nature of Nate’s newly minted expertise slide in order to enjoy the film. And I was able to, despite its heavy-handedness (all due to Radcliffe’s engaging performance). What I had trouble forgiving was the routine formula the film got caught up in. Nate gets in good with the white supremacists, but is met with doubt around every corner. Each questioning is accompanied with an intense tempo from the soundtrack, only to be extinguished after Nate pulls a metaphorical rabbit out of a hat and “proves his worth.” He’s able to get in good with the top dogs, such as radio host Dallas Wolf (Tracy Letts) and ringleader of the local party, Gerry Conway (Sam Trammell). The former throws a curveball into the investigation, turning down an offer and going to the police, stating his innocence as an entertainer. No worries, as not much comes from it outside of the expected uncertainty from the FBI brass. Nate still has Gerry eating out of his hand (almost comically so, given their brief kinship), so all is still good.
The problem isn’t so much in the formula as it is in Ragussis’ vanilla direction. It’s too workmanlike, giving no immediacy or impact to the proceedings. Events happen because they need to, not because they should. I never felt Nate was in danger despite Radcliffe’s headstrong performance to prove otherwise. Only two sequences posed any threat. One took place at a rally gone violent, in which Nate gets wounded. The second is the finale which, even when steeped in immediacy (what the direction had lacked up to this point), is too quickly resolved. Every other situation is too familiar and monotonous, with one too many sequences of Nate being questioned only to save face almost immediately. So much so that I’m beginning to repeat myself just as the film did.
I wonder if Ragussis was too caught up in the performances that he forgot to inject the investigation with energy. He does a swell job of directing both Danielle Radcliffe and Toni Collette as his partner-in-arms/puppet master, Angela Zamparo. The two develop a good rapport together, one akin to the bond between a mother and son. Collette channels her inner Ellen Barkin with her ferocity and drive, mixing it with her benevolence that’s defined her over the years. The film shines when the two are on screen.
Seeing as how Daniel Radcliffe is on screen for the entirety of the film, I almost succumbed to the conventions. His performance is that good! Yet, I struggled to be taken in by the film as I couldn’t shake the banality. I was left wanting more constantly, waiting for the film to pick up. Despite flashes of inspiration, the film never did.
Final Rating: C+