Torture is difficult to play without being melodramatic because its nature is over the top of what is reasonable. Metwally embodies the sadness and hopelessness of a torture victim and does it with no extraneous moaning or grunting. Every painful gesture and expression is perfectly crafted in the moment. Look toward him for one of the most powerful performances in Rendition.

The Romeo and Juliet-esque couple, Fatima and Khalid are two of the most riveting characters in the movie. Qukach wraps Fatima in a cloak of, maybe willful, naive innocence. Her bushytailed love for Khalid is sweet and unabashed. Khalid's love is far more complicated. Khquas winds Khalid tighter and squeezes his heart like a vice. Khalid is the most complex character in the story and Khquas proves he can handle the immense weight of his character's complexities.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, Peter Sarsgaard and Abasi Fawal each lend their phenomenal talents to Rendition. Creepy, scary, frightening, cowardly, vulnerable, and monstrous, every actor adds their own life and personality to each character.

As fascinating as the acting is, the cinematography is a triumph of its own. Dion Beebe uses light and lines to create mood and ambiance that conveys unspoken feeling and ideas. The cinematography sends messages that the audience might not even know they've received. There is endless attention to detail, composition and framing which polishes the movie and makes it glisten.

When the acting, the writing and the cinematography goes right, it is the director who should be praised. Gavin Hood, the director of Rendition, created a film whose themes, performances and vision make people discuss what they really believe and to face the consequences of those beliefs.

Rendition will leave you wanting to talk about policies, war and what torture does to the people being tortured. I, for one, think we could use the discussion.