PROFILE

Another computer screen only based "thriller" (and I use that term loosely) from producer and director Timur Bekmambetov. As with previous projects of his including UNFRIENDED, SEARCHING, and UNFRIENDED: DARK WEB, this film takes place entirely over Skype and a MacBook. While I understand this is a cost cutting measure designed to keep cost down and maximize profits, I certainly hope this trend does not continue. For UNFRIENDED and this, I could see this concept working (SEARCHING to a lesser extent could work but also could have not leaned so heavily on it either); however, at the end of the day, you're watching a 90 minute Skype conversation between a handful of actors. At this point in time, the experiment is over and they should try a new approach. The film takes place in 2014 and follows Amy, a journalist who is posing as Melody, a 19 year old and recently converted Muslim in order to be recruited by jihadist in Syria so she can report on and expose them. She quickly begins an online relationship with Bilel, a high profile target with ISIS by secretly recording their Skype sessions and reporting back to her editor Vick. By the time Amy gets in too deep with Bilel, Vick wants to pull the plug for her safety and run the story as is. Amy, sacrificing so much of her time, energy, and her real life relationship with her boyfriend Matt, believes she can dig deeper and pleads with Vick to hold off. Before Amy and Bilel can meet face-to-face, Amy is doxxed and a bounty is placed on her life. What does make the film somewhat chilling is it is inspired by true events. With the exception of Valene Kane who plays Amy and puts forth the most grueling performance, everyone else is rather lackluster, especially Shazad Latif as Bilel as he tries to come off too aloof and his constant use of "baby" becomes quite irritating by the end. This is definitely a film that can be passed over. 5.5/10