Skip to content
MovieCove
Rendition

Rendition

What if someone you love... just disappeared?

2007122 minRMidcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Director
Gavin Hood
Starring
Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin

When an Egyptian terrorism suspect "disappears" on a flight from Africa to Washington DC, his American wife and a CIA analyst find themselves caught up in a struggle to secure his release from a secret detention facility somewhere outside the US.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Rendition?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Rendition to rent or buy on Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Rendition?

Rendition earns 8 badges, led by Star-studded and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Rendition worth watching?

Rendition's Midcredits score is the 66th percentile of all films, from 76K ratings across 6 sources. 64% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

66th percentile

Better received than 66% of films

67th percentile among Drama64th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)71st

64 /100

59th percentile of all films

59th percentile among Drama58th percentile among 2000s

Critics 55 · Audience 65

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

64% liked it

71st percentile of all films

73rd percentile among Drama69th percentile among 2000s
64% rated it 7–1036% rated it 1–6

Critics 46% · Audience 62%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 2 noms overall

94th percentile

76K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Drama90th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 31% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$28M
Opening weekend$1.7M
Domestic gross$9.7M
Worldwide gross$27M

Returned 1.0× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is an ambitious, well-intentioned political thriller with a strong cast but is hampered by pacing issues and a contrived, overly neat plot.

Fans praised

  • Intelligent, dense political thriller that rewards close attention
  • Strong ensemble cast, especially lesser-known actors in key roles
  • Structurally original, weaving multiple storylines together effectively

Detractors panned

  • Boring, slow pacing with a plodding, unengaging flow
  • Confusing plot with unclear motivations and underdeveloped characters
  • Unconvincing performances, even from veteran actors like Streep and Gyllenhaal

What stands out

ActingDivisive70

Praised for strong ensemble cast, but critics find some performances unconvincing or underused

OriginalityDivisive70

Praised for structural originality and fresh approach to post-9/11 themes

AtmosphereDivisive70

Effective in conveying tension and settings, though not immersive enough for some

TensionDivisive50

Mixed reactions: some find it gripping, others say it fails to generate suspense

Plot and storyDivisive45

Convoluted and confusing for some, with coincidences and neat resolution criticized

CharactersDivisive40

Underdeveloped, with critics noting lack of depth or identification due to limited screen time

Emotional impactDivisive40

Fans moved by themes, but detractors feel uninvolved due to character detachment

Pacing30

Slog-ish pacing and overlong runtime, especially for detractors

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 13 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 22 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Rendition like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you angry. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its harrowing subject matter completely straight, with no irony or distance; it treats the moral questions of torture and state power with grave seriousness.
The rideThe film sustains a tense, dread-filled atmosphere throughout, with melancholic undertones, and the emotional and narrative weight peaks in the final act with the bombing and its aftermath.
StructureThe film cross-cuts between the present-day interrogation and a flashback storyline showing the bomber's personal tragedy, converging at the climax.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Angry.

Infuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.Thought-provokingHaunting · 14% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you angry at the injustice of the state's power and haunted by the human cost, while provoking an ongoing argument about torture and security.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeAn innocent man is seized by the state and tortured for information he does not have; the arc is about surviving and escaping the oppressive machinery of extraordinary rendition.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% (this title) · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Oppression · 4% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores state oppression through extraordinary rendition and torture, the quest for justice in the face of that system, and the parallel family bonds that drive both the victim's wife and the interrogator's daughter.
StanceThe film interrogates the morality and effectiveness of extraordinary rendition and torture, presenting multiple perspectives without endorsing any single one.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
Settinga North African city (filmed in Marrakech) and Washington, D.C.
MusicThe score blends tense ambient textures with mournful orchestral passages, underscoring the film's brooding and bleak tone.

Content guide

Is Rendition okay for kids?

R

Rendition is rated R: “Rated R for torture/violence and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (76/100), sexual content at mild (32/100), language at moderate (55/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at intense (70/100). Overall it is heavier than 41% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15A
  • Greece16
  • ItalyT
  • PortugalM/16
  • Spain12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 64% of all filmsHeavier than 41% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 58%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 27%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 29%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 36%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 64%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Rendition have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Rendition?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Reese Witherspoon
as Isabella Fields El-Ibrahimi
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jake Gyllenhaal
as Douglas Freeman
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Meryl Streep
as Corrine Whitman
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alan Arkin
as Senator Hawkins
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Peter Sarsgaard
as Alan Smith
Omar Metwally
as Anwar El-Ibrahimi
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Igal Naor
as Abasi Fawal
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hadar Ratzon Rotem
as Safiya
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
J.K. Simmons
as Lee Mayer
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Simon Abkarian
as Said Abdel Aziz

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Rendition?

Movies like Rendition include Official Secrets (2019), Eye in the Sky (2015) and Missing (1982). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Gavin Hood, and most are political thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its subject: oppression. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Rendition?

1.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: political thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.