The defence The Prestige Tourist
“Form is the argument.”
Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.
Back to trending 
Death and the Maiden
Drama · Thriller · 1994
A political activist is convinced that her guest is a man who once tortured her for the government.
Movie details
Death and the Maiden
“Prepare yourself for the moment of truth.”
1994 Drama · Thriller 1h 43m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.1 / 10
Community rating
A political activist is convinced that her guest is a man who once tortured her for the government.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Death and the Maiden?
For the defence
The Prestige Tourist
“You like your greatness pre-approved.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Watch on the Rhine
Drama · 1943
On the eve of World War II, the German Kurt Müller, his American-born wife Sara, and their three children, having lived in Europe for years, visit Sara's wealthy mother near Washington, DC. Kurt secretly works for the anti-Nazi resistance. A visiting Romanian count, becoming aware of this, seeks to blackmail him.
A Dry White Season
Drama · 1989
During the 1976 Soweto uprising, a white school teacher's life and values are threatened when he asks questions about the death of a young black boy who died in police custody.
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A nightmarish evening unfolds for neighbors David and Robert when they accidentally hit a woman on her bike and flee the scene. While David is increasingly plagued by feelings of guilt, Robert shows no remorse and becomes overbearing and possessive.
Tyler Perry's Duplicity
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Magpie
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The Wasp
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Heather bumps into Carla, having not spoken to her in years, and presents her with a very unexpected proposition that could change both of their lives forever.
Rogue Agent
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Conman Robert Freegard poses as an undercover MI5 agent and kidnaps countless victims amidst a high-stakes manhunt, until the woman who fell for him brings him to justice.
Derailed
Drama · 2005
When two married business executives having an affair are blackmailed by a violent criminal, they are forced to turn the tables on him to save their families.
The Experiment
Thriller · 2010
20 men are chosen to participate in the roles of guards and prisoners in a psychological study that ultimately spirals out of control.
Adulterers
Thriller · 2016
On a steamy New Orleans afternoon, Sam Deuprey decides to surprise his beautiful wife, Ashley, for their anniversary and comes home early. But Ashley is not alone in the bedroom. She and her lover, Damien are about to learn how far a jealous husband will go.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Roman Polanski
Written by
Ariel Dorfman · Rafael Yglesias
Sigourney Weaver
Paulina Escobar
Ben Kingsley
Dr. Roberto Miranda
Stuart Wilson
Gerardo Escobar
K
Krystia Mova
Dr. Miranda's Wife
J
Jonathan Vega
Dr. Miranda's Son
R
Rodolphe Vega
Dr. Miranda's Son
G
Gilberto Cortés
String Quartet Player
Court is in session
Put Death and the Maiden on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Technique in search of a pulse.”
Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.