Camp X-Ray

Right from the beginning events of the scenes are poorly intensified.

It was a one sided narration, that is really a very bad for this kind of sensitive theme. But the prime intention was to bring the Guantanamo Bay detention camp's atrocity on the detainees by the US military. Well, it actually avoids those strong cruelties, and focuses the unusual relationship between a detainee and a woman guard.

Limited cast, shot mostly in a single location with the budget of just one million USD, and an ordinary opening, but ended strong. I assumed a lot of things likely to happen while I was watching. Like Amy Cole (Kristen Stewart) was in undercover, to make detainees talk and collect the information. Because she was the only woman around, but as usual like most of the time I was wrong. It was so plain and filled with human emotions.

I was strong and confident that they were just torturing the terrorists who deserved it. If you see it from the human perspective that was slightly a over-limit, only if you exclude their crimes. I just felt it was a propaganda to show US in a bad light. That is the reason it will not show terror strikes in the movie that committed by any of the detainee characters, but only the consequences they face.

A Hollywood movie specially made to make feel good for the terrorists and those who support it. Okay, I agree, some were innocents. While fishing, a few other marine animals also gets trapped in the net as well, for that I feel sorry what happened to them. But 95% of them were heartless monsters. Everyone will have their own opinion on this film based on their religion, nationality or sympathetic for simply being a human, and everything are fair.

6/10

As a fan of Kristen Stewart, Camp X-Ray felt like an intimate exploration of her ability to embody complex emotions. Stewart’s portrayal of Private Amy Cole was nothing short of captivating—her quiet strength and vulnerability brought the character to life, making her moral dilemmas deeply relatable. Watching her navigate the challenging environment of Guantanamo Bay, you could feel the internal conflict that defines her journey.

One of the standout aspects of the movie was the chemistry between Stewart and Peyman Moaadi, who played Ali Amir. Their interactions carried much of the emotional weight of the film, adding nuance to the otherwise stark contrast between a soldier and a detainee. Moaadi’s performance was poignant, offering glimpses of humanity and resilience, which made you wish the film delved deeper into his character’s story.

This brings me to the one significant shortcoming of the movie—the missed opportunity for better pacing and more balanced storytelling. With nearly two hours of runtime, the film focused heavily on Cole’s perspective while leaving the detainees’ backstories and character development underexplored. Given the rich potential of such a setting, this felt like an oversight. It wasn’t just a missed narrative opportunity; it also impacted the emotional depth of the film, which could have been much stronger if we had seen more of the detainees’ humanity and struggles.

That said, the production and direction were solid, creating an authentic and immersive portrayal of life in Guantanamo Bay. The setting felt real, and the atmosphere added tension to every interaction. The film’s quieter moments, though slow at times, were effective in highlighting the isolation and monotony that defined the characters’ lives.

Overall, Camp X-Ray is a film worth watching, particularly for Kristen Stewart’s heartfelt performance. While it could have been a more well-rounded story, the themes of connection, humanity, and moral ambiguity still shine through. It’s a movie that lingers in your thoughts, not for what it achieved, but for what it could have achieved with a more balanced approach