Benedict Cumberbatch was brilliant BUT....

It is worth watching for Benedict's performance alone. He is excellent and nails the fascinating yet rather creepy persona of Julian Assange.

I just read the latest review on Rotten Tomatoes which is rated Rotten but the review actually recommends it so I don't think it is as negative as the site makes out.

http://newcityfilm.com/2013/10/18/review-the-fifth-estate/

But Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance is the knockout, precise, conflicted, mysterioso, wily, his own charm alloyed with the Aussie oddness of Assange.

I warmed to the Cumberbatch performance. I would say that he did well.

To me, however, his performance did not outweigh the lows of the film itself.

WikiLeaks has revealed significant abuses and yet, instead, what some have wanted to discuss is the moral character of the one mediating such truths to the public. For The Fifth Estate to find the supposed eccentricities or inter-personal conflicts of Assange more interesting, or for them to peddle oft-repeated and very easily refuted charges, was more than tragic. A really important story could have been told and wasn't.

My reaction to The Fifth Estate can be read here: https://ponderingsofapriest.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/the-fifth-estate/

The film is great for what it's working with.

Julian is a complex person, more so than what certain people want to give him credit for.

I study psychology so I was very intrigued by Julian. A few questions were answered, mostly if he dealt with multiple personalities. Instead I find he created people which is genius too.

This was the movie that drew me towards Benedict Cumberbatch. I was overjoyed to see a movie about Julian so I was overjoyed with Benedict.

Have you seen the movie yet? What did you think?

I couldn't believe it has such a low rating. It was a great film.