In Enemy Hands

A spoiler light review of In Enemy Hands should begin with tone, because Tony Giglio understands exactly how this action film ought to feel. In Enemy Hands gains early credibility from William H. Macy, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Til Schweiger. The foundation of In Enemy Hands can be stated simply: When American submarine Swordfish is torpedoed the survivors are picked up by a passing German U boat but an outbreak of meningitis threatens all aboard. Within its 1h 34m running time, In Enemy Hands reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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What keeps In Enemy Hands emotionally readable is William H. Macy, whose choices establish a consistent point of view. In scenes with Til Schweiger, In Enemy Hands gains tension from two performers refusing to produce the same kind of energy. Thomas Kretschmann contributes a separate rhythm to In Enemy Hands and helps the supporting material feel less purely functional. The direction by Tony Giglio gives the cast of In Enemy Hands room to connect the quieter beats with the larger ones.

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In Enemy Hands finds additional purpose in its examination of responsibility under pressure and the cost of impulsive courage. Through the performance of William H. Macy, In Enemy Hands makes that examination feel personal before it becomes broadly symbolic. The idea of American repeatedly returns In Enemy Hands to the cost behind its more visible developments. Tony Giglio is most persuasive when In Enemy Hands allows the theme to emerge from an uncomfortable choice rather than polished dialogue.

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The craft of In Enemy Hands is defined by set pieces with a clear sense of place, supported by set pieces with a clear sense of place rather than overwhelmed by decoration. Artisan Entertainment gives In Enemy Hands a production framework in which physical momentum can remain connected to story. Made from a United States production context, In Enemy Hands uses setting and design to clarify mood before dialogue has to explain it. The technical finish of In Enemy Hands works because image, sound and editing appear to be serving the same immediate purpose.

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Tony Giglio gives In Enemy Hands a directorial line that is alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them from its opening promise to its final movement. The staging of In Enemy Hands is strongest when Tony Giglio allows motivation to determine pace instead of reversing that priority. Viewed as a complete piece, In Enemy Hands confirms that the cast and craft keep the experience watchable across most of the running time. A tighter version of In Enemy Hands would address how too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested, yet the surrounding work remains persuasive.

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The plot of In Enemy Hands is built around the uneasy relationship between American and Swordfish. For William H. Macy, that relationship gives In Enemy Hands an emotional objective stronger than simple forward motion. The screenplay associated with John E. Deaver lets German U reshape the direction of In Enemy Hands in stages. Although the treatment of the central character could be sharper, In Enemy Hands never entirely loses the thread established at the beginning.

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Taken as a whole, In Enemy Hands is an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting for action fans who want spectacle tied to recognisable stakes. In Enemy Hands leaves its strongest impression through set pieces with a clear sense of place, the work of William H. Macy and a clear understanding of tone. The limitations around how too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested should be acknowledged, but they do not erase what In Enemy Hands does well. I would return to In Enemy Hands for its personality and its willingness to connect genre pleasure with recognisable feeling.