The Devil’s Double

Inspired by true events, The Devil’s Double follows Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper) as he’s essentially forced to become a body double for Saddam Hussein’s feared, volatile son, Uday (Cooper) – with the film subsequently detailing Latif’s efforts at blending into Uday’s violent world and, eventually, escaping from it. Filmmaker Lee Tamahori has infused The Devil’s Double with a slick and fast-paced sensibility that effectively (and instantly) captures the viewer’s interest, with Cooper’s thoroughly magnetic performance playing an integral role in confirming the movie’s early success – as the actor does a brilliant job of stepping into the shoes of two vastly different characters. (Cooper is so good, in fact, that the film remains partially watchable even through its more tedious stretches.) Problems emerge as it becomes increasingly clear that the narrative doesn’t really have anywhere substantial or interesting to go once the premise has been laid out, with the stagnant and downright repetitive midsection ensuring that The Devil’s Double wears out its welcome long before the action-packed finale rolls around – which ultimately cements the movie’s place as a sporadically intriguing yet disastrously undercooked thriller.

** out of ****