Imperium

Who thought after five years since Harry Potter concluded that we'd later see him mixed in with a group of white supremacists? If there's anything to say about Daniel Radcliffe post-Potter it's that he hasn't been shy when it comes to taking on rather unique and interesting projects from the big screen to the small screen and on stage.

This time around it's the big screen where we find him in Imperium as a young and eager FBI agent who goes undercover as a white supremacist to expose a potentially dangerous attack. On one hand this is a tried and tested formula as the protagonist befriends a group he'll eventually betray but the story is spiced-up by tackling a topical matter which director Daniel Ragussis utilises to a suitably uncomfortable degree. In some respects, this could even be compared to The Wicker Man as we explore the friends and family members involved all the while knowing that it is leading to something bad.

However, despite several great moments of tension and drama Imperium isn't quite the gripping experience it so desperately wants to be and suffers from a weak final act. The story is certainly engaging, standing out from your regular undercover film, and all cast members are on fine form but there is something lacking here to truly make this unnerving experience satisfying. As mentioned, the final act lacked a certain sense of escalation and ends almost because it has to, which may be accurate to the actual story it takes its inspiration from but falls flat translating to film.

Imperium still has its moments of greatness and it is also refreshing to see a film like this tackle such a topical issue given what has been unfolding in the news lately. Radcliffe also delivers a very strong and committed performance, however, it's just a shame that people will be more likely to remember him than this film as time moves on. A wasted effort? Not quite but it just doesn't hit the target the way it wanted to.