Imperium (2016)
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An FBI agent goes undercover to infiltrate a conspiracy involving American white supremacists and a potential dirty bomb plot.
The story
Nate Foster is a young FBI Special Agent tasked with uncovering highly classified terrorist plots. When illegally imported caesium-137 is stolen, Nate is recruited by fellow agent Angela Zamparo to investigate the involvement of white supremacist groups. Through Zamparo's connections, Foster is introduced to a group of Neo-Nazis led by Vince Sargent. He eventually gains the attention of Dallas Wolf, an alt-right talk radio host, and Andrew Blackwell, a leader of a premier white supremacist militia. Foster successfully ingratiates himself into the movement, eventually earning Blackwell's trust by saving him during an attack on a white power rally.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Nate Foster, an FBI agent, goes undercover to investigate white supremacist groups following the theft of caesium-137. He joins a Neo-Nazi group led by Vince Sargent and meets Dallas Wolf, an alt-right radio host, and Andrew Blackwell, a militia leader. After saving Blackwell during an attack, Foster learns Blackwell has blueprints for the D.C. water network and is plotting an attack. However, the FBI suspects Wolf and Blackwell are not the primary threats; Wolf is revealed to be an entertainer who doesn't believe in the cause, and Blackwell is seen as a way to lure recruits. The case is ordered closed, but Foster discovers that a white-collar engineer named Gerry Conway is part of a domestic terrorist cell. Conway and his allies possess the caesium and plan to detonate a dirty bomb. Foster joins them as a supplier of TATP. Despite the terrorists' paranoia, Foster locates the caesium in Conway's home, allowing the FBI to arrest the group before they can carry out the plot. Foster concludes his mission by visiting a former gang member who has abandoned the cause.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Daniel Ragussis
- Writers
- Daniel Ragussis · screenplay; Michael German · story
- Cast and characters
- Daniel Radcliffe · Nate Foster; Toni Collette; Tracy Letts; Devin Druid; Pawel Szajda; Néstor Carbonell; Sam Trammell
- Genres
- crime thriller
- Themes
- White supremacy; Terrorism; Undercover operations; Radicalization
- Tone and mood
- Tense; Chilling; Disturbing
- Premise and plot tags
- FBI; Undercover; White Supremacy; Terrorism; Dirty Bomb
- Source material / true-story basis
- Based on the experiences of former FBI agent Michael German, who wrote the book 'Thinking Like a Terrorist: Insights of a Former FBI Undercover Agent'.
- Content notes
- Racism
- Reception
- The film was generally well received by critics, earning positive reviews and being selected as a New York Times Critics' Pick.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 84% · review count: 76; Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 17
- Production trivia
- Daniel Radcliffe's first images on set featured him with a shaved head.; The film was based on a book by a former FBI agent who spent a year undercover with white supremacists.; The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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