Death and the Maiden

...its chilling efficiency and passion mark it as something of a comeback for Polanski...

Kingsley makes it come alive with his insinuating performance as the accused rapist: He makes his character so smart we have a certain admiration for his struggle. He is powerless, except for his wits, but they are formidable.

Despite DEATH's limited physical setting, the audience never feels trapped in a filmed play, thanks to Tonino Delli Colli's beautiful camerawork, Herve De Luze's fluid editing, and Polanski's mastery of atmosphere and emotional nuance.