THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL is a riveting drama set in basically one location…the courtroom. It boasts an incredibly talented ensemble that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with their intentions and emotional visualizations using only the written words.Â
William Friedkin knew exactly how he would take his audience on this creative odyssey. Not once did we travel back to the “crime” scene. Every pause, breath, quickening of pace, emphasis, gesture, and body expression was brilliantly executed. I thought at first I might lose interest. Not even in the slightest. The cast held me in the palm of their hand until the final seconds. Kudos to Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Clarke, Jake Lacy, Monica Raymund, and Lance Reddick.Â
THE CAINE MUTINY COURT- MARTIAL offers philosophical moments to ponder over. What is the difference between a “disturbed” or “adjusted” person? How do we delineate the differences, and do the high-pressure stakes of being a Navy war vessel’s Captain ask too much of mortal, flawed men? Does the nickname “old yellow stain” taint a person’s true colors? Oh, what a compelling, highly entertaining film. It is worth your time if only to witness what an extraordinary cast can create with a tight, tense, pensive script. It is available to stream on Paramount+.