Masterpiece, and nothing less

Rating: 10/10 (10 February 2014)

Looking at the original cover and hearing the title it sounded like some cheesy acted action chick flick, but man I could have never been more wrong. This is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen, and I am one of the harshest film critics. The impossibility of directing some of these 5 minute long takes (the camera literally doesn't cut in many scenes) as the characters go through some of the best action sequences (and most realistic) you will EVER see. This was nothing short of a Masterpiece, and that's understating it.
Owen really never had his 'role', and this was it. He plays the reluctant, dis-envisioned loner Theo who, despite his poverty and the fact that the entire world is crumbling around him, maintains his composure through constant flask drinking, gambling, and herbal remedies with his old friend Jasper. When his old liaison, Julian Moore, approaches him for an offer, he reluctantly agrees after learning of the money he is promised. Unaware of the situation he is entering himself into, he is thrown into the melee when the transport of an illegal immigrant goes horribly wrong and he is stuck trying to smuggle the last pregnant woman on earth out of the country, while being discovered, hunted, and chased by multiple terrorist groups. Meanwhile the country is in an uproar about illegals. Because of how dangerous the rest of the entire world has become most illegal immigrants are murderous and in gangs (or perceived as such), and they highly outnumber the rest of the population. The baby is a source of political motives, being that it's the last on earth, and Theo quickly realizes that besides the mother he is the only one looking out for its best interests.
It becomes readily apparent that despite always being drunk, stoned and unarmed Theo becomes a quick witted, highly agile escape artist when his adrenaline kicks in. He battles through hell, alone, and for most of the movie without shoes, striving to get this woman and her baby to safety. In one of the final scenes, Theo is walled in with her in a refugee camp being invaded by multiple terrorist organizations, and scheduled to be bombed by the military. I've never had such admiration for a hero as I did watching Theo run through the streets dodging bullets and cheating death, it was one of my most favorite scenes in movie history, and it was over 7 minutes of non-cut camera action. You witness firsthand the horrors of war, as everyone around him annihilates each other. It will have you on the edge of your seat, and then falling off it. This will ALWAYS be one of, if not, my favorite movie of all time. It has set a landmark with its camera-work and cinematography. No one has yet to accomplish anything like this. It should have won multiple Oscars, no argument. To me Theo is one of the greatest heroes in movie history. Trust me, see it. Give it a half hour and the action will start and it won't stop. 12 out of 10.
As far as the casting and acting, it's beyond flawless. With the camera not cutting you must choreograph everything down to the exact detail, and timing becomes a science. Owens' acting in this movie is some of the best I have EVER seen, it just exposed how amazing he was. Just watching him break down in tears was PERFECT, the spit connecting from his hands and he tried to wipe it away while breaking down in an attempt to light a cigarette, spine-tingling perfection, Art at its finest. It astonishes me that anyone could not like this movie, or even comment on the cast or the storyline or plot remaining undeveloped. The director takes you on a journey and has you perceive everything unfold. You witness a lot of what's happened by seeing headlines of old newspapers reused as wallpaper, you witness cattle being burned in circles on the countryside, you see chimneys reminiscent of Auschwitz expelling black smoke near refugee camps as they pass on the road. This is not for the Transformers or Jet Li fan boys. This is true film. It's gritty and it will pull you in. Truly remarkable.