Horror month, #4: Arlington Road, directed by Mark Pennington

[ceri]

Arlington Road is one of those movies I can't watch anymore, because of how the world has changed. Pennington made it in 1999; I saw it in 2002, after seeing and being delighted by The Mothman Prophecies, which will probably get an entry of its own this month. This one is the story of an expert in domestic terrorism, a well-meaning and compassionate man set up by ruthless schemers, and in the end evil triumphs. That's a spoiler of sorts, but it's one I have no compunction about—I'd feel genuinely bad inviting anyone to see it without the chance to say "No, thanks, I would like to skip that punch in the gut right now." It's a truly first-rate punch in the gut, one of the best I know about what it's like to be caught in the web of calculated terrorism. It's just that, well, it's way too close to being the story of America this decade.