Color, R (mature themes, language, violence), 108 min., DVD only $29.98
DVD: no extras
Street: Oct. 11, Prebook: Sept. 13
First Run: L, June 2004, <$1 mil.
Cast: Antonio Banderas (Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Emma Thompson (TV's Angels in America), Ruben Blades (The Assassination Tango), Claire Bloom (Wrestling With Alligators), John Wood (Chocolat)
Director: Christopher Hampton
UNIVERSAL
Story Line: Argentina, 1977: After his journalist wife (Thompson) is abducted by agents of the Argentinian government during the late '70s, a theater director (Banderas) uses his psychic powers to see the past and the future, which he hopes will help locate her and others who have disappeared.
Bottom Line: A political drama a la Missing boosted by the accoutrements of a paranormal thriller, such as The Dead Zone, this unusual, sporadically successful hybrid saw limited action in theaters stateside despite its high-profile cast. Lack of widespread acclaim for the effort—directed by Oscar-winning Dangerous Liaisons scripter Hampton—might have something to do with its attempt to mix lovers of psychic shockers with fans of heady dramas. Thus, the film presents a marketing challenge to retailers, who might decide to pitch the title to both types of clientele but should make sure to let them know it's not a typical genre piece.