journal features

movie review - The Spanish Prisoner

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Toronto, 1999.07.30

When you watch some of Martin's earlier works, it's incredible how far he's come. This is a good thriller about a mathematician, believe it or not. He invents a process, and starts getting in trouble. Why? Because the process is a 'market'-related thing, which is worth so much money the mathematician has to write it down to convey the figure to his employers.

Immediately, corporate thieves (Martin at el) turn up, and the fun begins.

Martin and Scott are an excellent duo, and the plot moves along so nicely through betrayals and crazy developments that it's easy to ignore the obvious fact that this is just another in a series of flicks where a decent guy gets screwed by cons and set up to take a fall for a crime he hasn't committed. It's a worthwhile flick.

Recommended.

rand()m quote

One day you will take a fork in the road, and you're going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make compromises and you will have to turn your back on your friends. But you will be a member of the club and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way and you can do something [...] for yourself. If you decide to do something, you may not get promoted and get good assignments and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors. But you won't have to compromise yourself. To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you have to make a decision. To be or to do.

—John Boyd, US Air Force