Film Review: 'The Fifth Estate' - [Redacted] Truth

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The biographical thriller "The Fifth Estate" is presented as the story of Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the creation (and rise) of the WikiLeaks website, but it really is the story of Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) as he learns (and re-learns) what little truth about Assange he can.

While the movie is being promoted as Cumberbatch's movie (and while Cumberbatch is - unsurprisingly - very good in it), the movie actually belongs to Brühl. He shines in his portrayal of a man who believes fully in the cause - even when he's not entirely sure what the true meaning of that cause is. It's an understated performance that is constantly in Cumberbatch's shadow, just as Domscheit-Berg is in Assange's shadow.

The movie is filmed in the stereotypical faux documentary style, handheld camera angles at the ready. While the movie is well-done, it's about a half hour too long with too many subplots that muddle the main story arc.

Whether this is the true story of the origin of the classified media publishing platform and the main forces behind it remain to be seen. The posters ask, "Hero or traitor? You decide." What it doesn't specify is who they are talking about: Assange or Domscheit-Berg. The movie makes a valid case for either.

"The Fifth Estate," opens nationwide on October 18.