Movie Reviews

‘Profile’ Review – Intensely Captivating and Deeply Compelling

By Dom Fisher
May 14, 2021
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Synopsis:

PROFILE follows an undercover British journalist in her quest to bait and expose a terrorist recruiter through social media, while trying not to be sucked in by her recruiter and lured into becoming a militant extremist herself.

Words are immensely powerful. They can empower the weak, enrage the calm, mobilize the timid, and manipulate the strongest of wills and that’s only from reading. When spoken, depending on whose mouth the words are coming from, can evoke every emotion possible, cause mass confusion, and even rally hundreds of thousands of people to do unspeakable things. There is a portion of the population with incredible levels of confidence and charisma that are able to hold the attention of everyone in the room. In addition, they can also make you feel as if you’re the only one they’re talking to while sitting in a crowd. People such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Dave Chappelle, Gary Vaynerchuk, Eddie Huang, Jane Elliott, and others like them possess this ability that allows them to influence those who see them speak. But as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, and if this gift, this power, is used for malicious intent, it can be a detriment to anyone listening. And what can be even more frightening is that I was only referencing the effect the gift of gab has on crowds. One on one, especially if you’re in a vulnerable state, they may have you converting to another religion and moving to another country. And in this age of technology, one on one usually means communicating through a screen. The days of a/s/l are long gone and now more than ever it’s important to protect yourself from online perversion.

“Come here, I’ll give you everything you need…”

Based on the book, In the Skin of a Jihadist that is inspired by a true story, Profile is an intensely captivating and deeply compelling Screenlife thriller. If you’re not familiar with what Screenlife is, it’s a style of film, now a genre, where everything that happens in the film takes place on a computer, phone, or tablet screen. Initially, I wasn’t a huge fan of the new genre when Unfriended released in 2014. I found it interesting but ultimately wasn’t a fan of the film. Fortunately, the style has come a long way and found better stories to be told in this format. Profile is not able to elevate the Screenlife style but makes it a benchmark. The film is as intimate as it is intense and the story is incredibly gripping. It’s executed in such a way that leaves you feeling as if you’re just a much a part of the film as the actors. It gives entanglement a whole new meaning. Fully focusing on how young women are manipulated and wooed into leaving their lives behind in Europe to unsuspectedly becoming militant extremists and sex slaves, the film is not only a wild ride but an important story. It’s a cautionary tale coupled with a two-way cat and mouse game. Not only is this one of the most intriguing stories that I’ve witnessed but the tremendous acting fully brought the story to life.

The film is a lot to take in at first with multiple opening and closing windows and incoming messages on the screen, but once you settle in and realizes what windows and names are important it flows nicely. One of my favorite creative aspects of the film is how the soundtrack is done. Each song that plays is one Amy, the film’s focal point, choose on her computer to fit her mood because like a first-person video game, her experience is ours. From her unexpected chemistry to the eventual chaos, we see it all. With inverse parallel storylines and a diabolical ending, this film will keep you glued to the screen. The hindsight I experienced after the credits rolled made me appreciate the story even more. Profile is well written, distinctly alluring, and a must-see. Its rewatchability is high.

Valene Kane stars as Amy in Timur Bekmambetov’s PROFILE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of BEZELEVS and Focus Features

Plot & Pace

When an investigative journalist named Amy decides she wants to investigate European women being recruited by Islamic extremists, converted to the Islamic faith, and sex trafficked, she had the best of intentions in mind. She hoped this story would secure her a job at the publication she is freelancing for and also would expose the dangerous and manipulative online recruitment efforts of extremists groups. Unfortunately for her, she had no idea what she was getting herself into and how effective the methods are. Communicating purely through electronics, the web she intended to weave to trap her target may in fact trap her instead. Not only is her journalistic integrity in jeopardy, but her life may be as well. Her savvy may have met its match.

The pacing fast yet methodical. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and fills you with excitement along with anxiousness.

Valene Kane stars as Amy and Shazad Latif as Abu Bilel Al-Britani in Timur Bekmambetov’s PROFILE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of BEZELEVS and Focus Features

Characters & Chemistry

To make this movie as enthralling as it is, Valene Kane (Amy) and Shazad Latif (Bilel) needed incredible performances that would be able to convey a multitude of emotions and thrill while acting through a computer or phone screen. And dammit, they did it and did it well. Their deceptive stares, flirty glances, and overall chemistry down to the way they used their voices is what makes this film pop. The range of emotion that they are able to create and feel through a screen is goosebump-inducing. It reached a point where it felt very real and I felt as if I was spying on someone. Kane weaving in and out from her personal life to her online persona is a thrill in itself. While Latif’s smooth transition from charming suitor to sinister puppet master is truly chilling.

Profile releases in theaters on Friday, May 14, 2021. Stay safe and enjoy.