Imperium (2016 film)
This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (December 2020) |
Imperium | |
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Directed by | Daniel Ragussis |
Screenplay by | Daniel Ragussis |
Story by | Michael German |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Bobby Bukowski |
Edited by | Sara Corrigan |
Music by | Will Bates |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Lionsgate Premiere |
Release date |
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Running time | 109 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Box office | $302,109[2] |
Imperium is a 2016 American
Plot
Nate Foster is a young FBI Special Agent working to uncover highly classified terrorist plots. After some illegally imported caesium-137 is stolen, Nate is recruited by Angela Zamparo, a fellow FBI Special Agent, who suspects the involvement of white supremacist groups.
Through Zamparo's connections, Foster is introduced to a small group of Neo-Nazis led by Vince Sargent, a local leader who is familiar with their prime suspect, alt-right talk radio host Dallas Wolf. Wolf, a figurehead in the movement for his incendiary rhetoric, assembles a gathering of the largest and most influential groups in the northeast. With Sargent's introductions, Foster becomes ingratiated in the movement and meets Andrew Blackwell, the leader of a premier white supremacist militia, as well as gaining Wolf's attention by convincing him he can fund an expansion of his radio show. Foster also becomes fast friends with Gerry Conway, a white collar engineer and family man, also a white supremacist.
After earning Blackwell's trust by saving him during an attack on a white power rally by antifascists, Foster is brought to a crude military complex operated by Andrew's militia. There, Blackwell reveals that he has blueprints for the municipal water network of Washington, D.C., and is plotting an attack.
The FBI begins to suspect that Wolf and Blackwell are working together after Foster meets Wolf at his home and discovers that his house sets off Foster's Geiger counter. Foster attempts to integrate himself into a possible plot by offering Wolf a substantial financial investment.
Instead, Wolf becomes hostile and reports Foster to the FBI. It is revealed that he sees himself as merely an entertainer, does not truly believe in the cause, and has undergone radiation therapy for prostate cancer, which was registered by the Geiger counter. Blackwell is meanwhile also dismissed as a possible threat, as he appears to use the D.C. water network plans as a way to lure in potential recruits with promise of participating in an impending terror attack. With no further leads, the case is ordered to be closed by Foster's and Zamparo's superior. Angered at wasting his efforts, Foster prepares to have his cover identity leave the city.
Foster meets Conway to make his final farewells. Sensing his genuine feelings of uselessness, Conway confides in Foster his membership in a domestic terrorist cell. It is revealed that Conway and his allies are in possession of the caesium and are plotting to detonate a
Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe as Nate Foster
- Toni Collette as Angela Zamparo
- Tracy Letts as Dallas Wolf
- Sam Trammell as Gerry Conway
- Nestor Carbonellas Tom Hernandez
- Roger Yawson as Usman
- Devin Druid as Johnny
- Pawel Szajda as Vince Sargent
- Chris Sullivan as Andrew Blackwell
- Burn Gorman as Morgan
- Seth Numrich as Roy
- Rodney Roldan as Hispanic Man
- Maboud Ebrahimzadeh as Abdul
- Shawn Singletary as Tim, the wine shop owner
Production
Development
Ragussis based his story on the experiences of FBI agent Michael German, who spent a year undercover with white supremacists. German wrote a book based upon his experience called Thinking Like a Terrorist: Insights of a Former FBI Undercover Agent, and after Ragussis read the book, he reached out to German for help in creating Imperium. The two of them together then came up with the basic story for the movie.[4]
On July 30, 2015, it was announced that Radcliffe had been cast in the lead role, portraying a young FBI Special Agent who goes undercover to find and stop
Filming
Principal photography began in late September 2015, with filming taking place in Richmond, Virginia and the nearby city of Hopewell.[7] The first images of Radcliffe on the set, with a shaved head, were released on September 22, 2015.[8]
Release
In September 2015, it was reported that Signature Entertainment had pre-bought the rights to the film for the United Kingdom.
Critical response
Imperium was generally well received. The
See also
- Betrayed
- Arlington Road
- The Believer
- American History X
- Green Room
- BlacKkKlansman
- American militia movement
- Radical right (United States)
- Racism in the United States
- White supremacist terrorism in the United States
References
- ^ "Imperium (15)". British Board of Film Classification. July 4, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ^ "Imperium (2016) - Financial Information". The-numbers.com. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ Collis, Clark (June 28, 2016). "Imperium: Daniel Radcliffe is an undercover FBI agent in exclusive poster". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ "Daniel Radcliffe's 'Imperium' Character Isn't a Real Person, but His Inspiration is".
- ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (July 30, 2015). "Daniel Radcliffe To Go Undercover In FBI Thriller 'Imperium'". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ a b McNary, Dave (October 8, 2015). "Toni Collette, Sam Trammel Join Daniel Radcliffe's 'Imperium'". Variety.
- ^ Bryan, Alix (September 9, 2015). "Daniel Radcliffe feature 'Imperium' starts filming soon in Central Va". WTVR-TV.
- ^ Sollosi, Mary (September 22, 2015). "First look: Daniel Radcliffe is FBI agent undercover as neo-Nazi in Imperium". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (September 14, 2015). "Signature inks Daniel Radcliffe thriller, Pele biopic". Screen International.
- ^ "Imperium (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ "Imperium reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (August 18, 2016). "Daniel Radcliffe Battles Homegrown Extremists in Imperium". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
- ^ "Daniel Radcliffe goes undercover with white supremacists in crime thriller 'Imperium'". Los Angeles Times. August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
- ^ "Imperium". Slant. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
- ^ "Imperium, ET Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Imperium at IMDb