Actor and producer Malkovich makes his directorial debut with this taut and finely layered political thriller, adapted from the 1996 novel by Nicholas Shakespeare that drew on the author’s own experiences as a journalist during the search for Abimael Guzman, leader of the Peruvian guerrilla group Shining Path. In Malkovich’s highly cinematic adaptation, a Latin American nation nears collapse under assault from a dangerous terrorist movement. Bardem portrays idealistic lawyer-turned-police detective Agustin Rejas, who attempts over the course of twelve years to catch the mysterious guerrilla leader Ezequiel (Malkovich). The brains behind the bloody revolution that threatens the country, Ezequiel is as elusive as Rejas’s superiors are corrupt and the military is brutal. In the midst of the chaos, Rejas finds respite in a soulful relationship with his daughter’s dance teacher. As he draws nearer to his prey, the two are forced to choose between love, country, and self.