Movie Review | The Fifth Estate

The Fifth Estate is a dramatized depiction of Julian Assange and his website WikiLeaks from its first major story in 2007 to the leak of the Afghan War Logs in 2010. Out to destroy lies and secrets, WikiLeaks is an organization for whistle-blowers to reveal the corruption of governments and political figures alike.   

Firstly, the directing. On the positive side, the cinematography and camera handle was excellent. I personal love a bit of a in-motion camera. I think it adds depth to an intense scene, placing you in the action itself. I also appreciated Bill Condon’s choices of location. The gritty German setting brought a lot to Julian and Daniel’s characters, allowing the viewer to be transported into their chaotic, grim lifestyle. From the clubs to the house where Collateral Murder was released, Condon had a good grasp on atmosphere these people surrounded themselves with. Having Julian appear in different locations throughout the film, from Kenya to London to Germany, permitted the viewer to see Julian as a true nomad; he never settles, and is always on the move. 

Unfortunately, now for the negative. I was not a fan of the text used in this movie. A scene that really put me on edge was with Julian and Daniel talking through a chat room. Not wanting to speak about the information he had, Julian persuaded Daniel only to talk to him in the safety of the WikiLeaks chat. Obviously, a whole scene can’t be spent with the main characters just typing away to each other, so Condon compensated by adding on scene text and narration. This did not turn out well. It quickly became very awkward with the text splattered on the screen, overarching dialogue, and a new scene panning out. I can appreciate why Condon felt strongly as to have the text, because Julian and Daniel spent most of the relationship in chat rooms, but from a movie stand point, it did not translate well. The “techy” editing and montages were also used to convey the importance of technology, but regrettably was poorly executed.

Next, the screenplay. I’m not going to lie, I was very confused watching this movie. Too much was happening to quickly. The first hour or so was spent cramming everything WikiLeaks has done down the viewers throat. As the average viewer, with the basic knowledge of WikiLeaks, I was having a hard time keeping up. There was never a chance to breath. I never got a chance to process one piece of information before they threw another at me. The release of Collateral Murder was when the plot really began to fall into place for me. At this point I really got intrigued, the pace began to slow, the tension built, and I could finally follow what was happening. Subsequently because of the massive plot, there wasn’t much room for character development. A lot of Daniel Burg’s personal story was told (obviously because the creative team had direct access to Daniel), and he serves as the moral center of the organization; he's not blinded by hatred like Julian is. Julian was evidently the center of attention with this story; the crazy, blonde haired genius bringing down governments and exposing corruption through a website. We got small glances into Julian’s personal life, something he keeps very guarded from the world. Could this personal information be why Julian has such a vendetta against the film? Because he wants to keep his secrets hidden, as alluded to in the film.

But, the rest of the WikiLeak members were left in the dark. What drew me to this film and this topic in general, was the people. I wanted to know more about the people involved in this institution, their thinking, and the part they served in these events. Instead we got a lot of plot that left me confused and disjointed. But I must say, I very much enjoyed the last scene. Personally, one of the best endings to any movie I've seen. It was very cheeky!

I was very pleased with the production of The Fifth Estate. I loved the locations and sets used. Like I said, the atmosphere was very gritty and tense. The locations gave great life to the story and to the characters. I also loved the costumes and makeup. They dressed Benedict perfectly as Julian; the cargo pants, loose shirts, and parka with the multiple backpacks helped to bring Julian to life even more. Plus, I didn’t think the wig looked bad at all; I actually quite liked the blonde. 

I was also in love with makeup, or should I say lack of. Today in Hollywood, movie stars are plastered with makeup to look flawless on camera. What I loved about this movie was the actors were very natural, especially the men. There was no perfectly dewy skin or flawlessly sculpted cheekbones, but there were under eye bags and uneven skin tone. The makeup artist didn’t try to hide the actor’s blemishes, but let them be free; let them be human. It made the characters feel real, which is what a movie is supposed to achieve, am I wrong? I must say I was not a fan of the score. I loathed it actually. The rock music soundtrack fit well, but the soothing instrumental was out of place and distracting.

Last, but most definitely not least, the acting: the real reason I was so very excited for this movie. Wow! Benedict Cumberbatch is an acting god. Benedict becomes a chameleon when he acts, leaving all traces of himself behind.  His Julian was intriguing, and he never wavered in his performance. Benedict has gone on the record saying that Julian’s letter to him before filming played a big part in how he interpreted Julian. After reading the letter from Julian, you can definitely see what Ben means. His Julian is selfish, controlling, and paranoid, but he’s also caring and protective of his organization. He truly does want to help the world and do what he thinks is best for the greater good, even though he does falter and crash because of some questionable actions. Benedict understands Julian perfectly. His accent and body language were on point, and even the smallest action, from his laugh to rubbing of his lips, illustrates Julian. The final scene in particular really caught me off guard; Benedict’s acting was so great that I truly thought it was Julian on screen. An Oscar nomination better be in Benedict’s future.

Overall, I rate The Fifth Estate 5.5 out of 10. Some questionable decisions regarding directing and screenplay is saved by the fantastic cast.