The Manchurian Candidate (2004) – Rewatch

The first time I watched this I was mostly annoyed because I found the 1962 version vastly superior. This version is flashier and prettier and more blatant in its story telling, but I appreciated all that much more this time around. The story of a United States Army unit of soldiers being brainwashed by a multinational organization wanting to gain more power and influence fits too well in these modern times of fake news, alternate realities, and foreign influences across societies. It takes some interesting twists but the ending is a bit unsatisfying. But, there’s also no denying that there is an incredible amount of talent in all levels of the cast: Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Jeffrey Wright, Ann Dowd, Željko Ivanek, and so many more.