Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: INDEMNITY [Fantasia Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]

The aspect of sleeper cells but those with no knowledge of their mission or that they have been brainwashed have been a mainstay since the Cold War (see "The Manchurian Candidate") but the progression has moved in many textures to the idea of the private sector with corporate (and, in reflection, corporate espionage) to be the big baddie. The texture of PTSD and what one understands integrates into this story set in South Africa which follows a fireman pursuing those men who have kidnapped his son but have a different use for him. The structure of psychology being turned on itself and the way it is done here as training structure is a little flimsy though Jarrid Geduld as Theo does put his all into his performance. His action skills are good but the fights are more down and dirty than fully choreographed and his acting, though emotive, is, at times, overplayed, even with some of the traumatic situations he finds himself in.

Theo is on the run and the streets of Cape Town do have an interesting feel to them. They are part of the world and yet removed as well. As Theo begins to unravel what he is being used for, the reality plays back to a chase movie that eventually leads back to a source of governmental intrigue and power by those who have it and those who don't. The aspect of corruption also plays a key part but some of the motivations beyond the hard-boiled element of money come off a little suspect. Theo, as a character, does become more brutal with those people (even innocent) that he is using to get to the top of the chain which does, at times, challenge the empathy for the character but that is simply a progression of the story. The eventual resolution speaks to the power of will but is ultimately is not as powerful as one would think it could be. C

By Tim Wassberg