Todd Bowden, the boy who always gets top grades and can charm mothers-in-law effortlessly, has a more serious side than most people realize. He is deeply fascinated by Nazism. His excitement grows when, one day, he notices a strangely familiar face on the bus in his neighborhood. The face belongs to none other than Kurt Dussander, one of the key figures behind the concentration camps during the Nazi regime. Todd, unable to let such an opportunity slip away, seeks out the old man to get firsthand information about what really happened. As he so elegantly puts it: “I want you to tell me everything they don’t dare to show me in school.”
Based on a novel by Stephen King, this is an engaging and thought-provoking film. When you also see Ian McKellen’s name on the cast list, you know that there are some quality here. This is also the film Bryan Singer directed before getting famous for making superhero movies.
This film can be categorized as a psychological thriller. Todd is an exceptionally intelligent young man, and when he realizes that he won’t get anywhere with Kurt without a little coercion, he decides to take matters into his own hands. In exchange for not turning him in to the police and the Israeli embassy, Kurt must recount his past as a Nazi in all its grotesque detail. However, Todd may be underestimating the elderly Mr. Dussander. Dussander himself is not too pleased about being discovered and soon begins plotting his own clever game.
Filled with psychological mind games, this film is a treat for those who enjoy slow-burning thrillers that gradually creep under your skin. While it is not a horror film that will have you trembling, it does evoke a significant sense of unease at times. After all, the beast within can awaken again. Emotions and instincts that lie dormant in the human mind are not always to be taken lightly. Who really has the upper hand? The love-hate dynamic between the two is also intriguing, and the film builds up to a satisfying climax.
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