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.
Not Without My Daughter
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An American woman, trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutish husband, must find a way to escape with her daughter as well.
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High-powered attorney Marley faces her most personal case yet when she is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the murder of her best friend Fela’s husband. With the help of her boyfriend – a former cop turned private investigator – Marley’s search for what really happened leads her down a treacherous maze of deception and betrayal.
Sleeping with the Enemy
Drama · 1991
A young woman fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her nightmarish marriage, but discovers it is impossible to elude her controlling husband.
Rogue Agent
Thriller · 2022
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.
Careful What You Wish For
Drama · 2015
A guy gets more than he bargained for after entering into an affair with the wife of an investment banker. Soon, a suspicious death and substantial life insurance policy embroil him in a scandal.
Argo
Drama · 2012
As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
Natural Born Killers
Crime · 1994
Two victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.
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.