Camp X-Ray establishes its identity with a vividly kinetic start, adeptly unveiling the Guantanamo Bay locale where soldiers “defend freedom”.

The film intrigues with its subtlety and style, conveying a taste of the ‘X-Ray’ experience where brutality, desperation and monotony proliferate, simultaneously establishing explicit claustrophobia and shifting confrontations with various “Others”. A well-cast Kristen Stewart effectively portrays a female private’s transition from set-jawed enthusiasm to vulnerable uncertainty, crafting poignant moments with Payman Maadi’s detainee.

However, despite a sufficient script, Camp X-Ray lacks deep insight and originality, delivering merely a cursory glance at the War on Terror’s potential for inhumanity.

Notwithstanding good performances, potent imagery and cinematic flair, Camp X-Ray does not cut deep nor surprise. The film stretches some boundaries but breaks none.

RATING: 3/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, John Carroll Lynch.

DIRECTOR: Peter Sattler

WRITER(S): Peter Sattler

SYNOPSIS: Amy Cole (Stewart) – a new recruit posted to Guantanamo Bay – struggles to uphold the mandated detachment from Ali (Maadi), a detainee with whom she feels more commonality than her fellow guards.