100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 63: Night Moves

Director: Kelly Reichardt

Genre: Drama/ Thriller

Runtime: 112 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard, Jesse Eisenberg, Alia Shawkat, James Le Gros, Katherine Waterston, Lew Temple, Clara Mamet, Logan Miller, Nate Mooney, Matt Malloy, Kai Lennox, Bart McCarthy, Griffin Newman, Barry Del Sherman, Scott Patrick Green, Mikey Kampmann, Matthew Joel Flood

Description: Three radical environmentalists look to execute the protest of their lives: the explosion of a hydroelectric dam.

Review: Environmental activism knows many forms. Some activists free hamsters from labs, others go after whalers, when one person lives in a tree house to save the forest. Normally it doesn’t result in victims, which does happen in “Night Moves”.

In “Night Moves” three young activists plan to blow up a dam. The dam generates hydro-electricity, a controversial form to get energy. In the first hour we see the preparation, the second hours shows us the execution of the plan. And what this does, to the people who did it.

Everything they have to do to prepare for the big night is not as exciting as you might think. It’s not dangerous and gives you more to think about then adrenaline. The explosion itself isn’t all that spectacular either, but it’s not supposed to be about that. It’s about the after effect. It has a great impact on the three activists. Where it eventually leads to is a bit far-fetched, but the psychological pressure on the three is perceptible.

Besides an interesting theme, the movie also has excellent acting. And off course beautiful visuals of Oregon. “Night Moves” is somewhat slow, but is atmospheric and interesting.

Rating: 3,5/ 5