As a fellow Human Rights filmmaker, this film is accurately portrays this aspect of the former Marxist Eastern Europe sex slave trade. As a director, I'm proud of the film's director for fighting for the toughest final cut, I know it cuts down on marketability, to have such a real scene towards the end, but it is vital for the integrity and longevity of the film.My only criticism is that it doesn't show the influence of ex-Marxists (Communists) in the Ukraine starting point of the sex slave trade. I would have liked to have seen about 20 of the brutal rape and murder scenes all through the film, and not just as the shocking climax. But I'm more from the Tarkovsky school of total inescapable immersion in the subject.One of the top 20 films of the last 40 years.

This was a bit of a tough go, as the movie itself isn't spectacular and the subject matter is uncompromising and at times not easy to watch. The story is important though and the cast is fantastic with Rachel Weisz giving her all to the role of Kathy Bolkovac, an American police officer who travels to Bosnia on a UN peacekeeping mission and uncovers evidence that her colleagues (and many higher ups) are running a human trafficking ring.You sure don't come away feeling very good about humanity after watching this. I did find the movie pretty jumpy as a whole with Kathy's story, being told in little snippets of events so that it jumps around a fair bit especially in the beginning Weisz is fantastic in her transformation from public servant to crusader, risking everything and getting shut down by the very people she (we) should be able to trust. We also follow two young girls Ukrainian girls through their hell.There are several big names attached to this in small, dare I say wasted roles; Benedict Cumberbatch appears in two short scenes, on screen just long enough for you to think; that guy looks familiar, realize who it is, admire his American accent and then he's never seen again. Vanessa Redgrave was also impressive here. 10/18/15

So this was an infuriating film, as I had been warned in reviews. The main character makes little headway in exposing sex trafficking centered on a UK-based company that is charged with much of the UN activities in Bosnia--and elsewhere, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, I understand.And, actors such as Rachel Weisz, David Strathairn and Vanessa Redgrave--still beautiful and dignified in her 70's--do not disappoint.But, this film irritated me no end by arguing that a Nebraska police officer could go to Bosnia and, with no knowledge of any language other than English, make such earth-shaking changes. C'mon, people, this is absurd. Either she had interpreters with her, who shared her moments of terror and therefore deserve to be recognized as heroes as well, or else...what?? Body language sufficed??? People just somehow knew just enough English to get by, each and every time?????This is absurd, really. I assume the movie was made for the American market, and assumed that the viewer regards languages as a distraction. Given an earnest American get-it-done attitude, little things like understanding what other people are saying don't matter...right? Americans are used to traveling all over the world and having their English understood. That's true enough if they're tourists in major cities, brandishing American dollars; not so true in real-life situations in third-world countries, battle-riven countries, and in the rural areas of first-world countries.This movie does a disservice to Americans and others by suggesting that knowledge of foreign languages does not matter. It does.

I've never been a fan of "based on real life" films. I prefer to read this cases, do adequate research and investigations to discuss among my family or friends. Beside, directors tend to go over the line and play with feelings, making fragile minds fall in love with an ideal and avoiding the search for reality.However, this film doesn't play with your emotions, it focuses on the real subject of interest and the performances were outstanding; you can easy relate to Kathryn Bolkovac and the decision she makes. The violence is just the necessary, it's never pushed too far and the direction was very decent.The only complain I might contemplate are the slow and confusing beginning, too much explications.