Daniel Radcliffe Is Great in 'Imperium', a Movie That Gives a Thoughtful Look on White Supremacy Culture

In Imperium, Daniel Radcliffe plays a smart and idealistic FBI agent who is tasked to go undercover within a white supremacist community of Klansmen, skinheads, and neo-Nazis to stop an imminent terrorist attack that’s expected to come from their ranks.

Imperium is just the second non-Harry Potter movie that I’ve seen starring Radcliffe (the first one was The Woman in Black).  Prior this movie, I never really thought he could make a significant impact out of Harry Potter.  If nothing else, Imperium has made me change my mind of Radcliffe’s talents and potential.  He truly delivered a riveting performance in this movie.  He probably won’t win awards for it, but I now think he has what it takes to be a serious A-list actor and legitimate Oscar contender someday.

This movie’s plot is something that could have easily become boring at any point.  But it didn’t.  The terrific acting of its cast (led by Radcliffe), a solid direction, and the very informative discussion of its chosen subject matter kept the narrative fascinating.

Imperium does a fine job in giving a thoughtful look on the philosophies of the white supremacy movement, the disturbing levels of bigotry that free speech permits, and the prospective threats that could arise because of the existence of such things in modern society.  And doing this by telling an intriguing story about a reluctant hero compelled by his intrinsic desire to “help and make a difference” to infiltrate and immerse himself into a hateful culture makes this movie one of the best thrillers of the year.