"The Robbery"

17 January 2025

2 mins 57s

The injustice of false equivalence.

This hard hitting film for Amnesty International directed by Andrew De Zen uses the tropes of an action thriller to ramp up the tension in a clever piece of misdirection. A trio sat in a car outside a bank look, for all the world, as though they are intent on robbery, but their aim is something altogether different, and a great deal more honourable.

The comparison between protest and robbery made by the film is highly relevant because, in Russia, where the film is set, the punishment for calling a halt to the war in Ukraine is the same as the punishment for robbing a bank. (And it's moving in that direction in the UK too.)

Our admiration felt for those willing to face a Draconian response from Putin's vicious police state knows no bounds, and De Zen captures the nervous commitment of protest in his portrayal of these brave souls.

The film itself is pretty committed too... allowing the tension to build without worrying that an impatient audience afflicted will click away is a leap of faith these days, and you have to admire those who have allowed this film to have the room it needs to land its point to maximum effect.

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