On Redefining Terrorism with Night Moves

Terrorism is defined as the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. This is a hazy definition, but one that cinema usually decides includes running, shouting, explosions and a ticking clock. Even the emotionally and politically intelligent Zero Dark Thirty (2012) ends with a night vision home invasion in the style of point of view computer games. However, much like in 2010 when Kelly Reichardt altered audience perceptions of what they though a Western was with Meek’s Cutoff, here she does the same with Night Moves and the terrorist genre.

Reichardt replaces running with cars crawling through quiet forests; shouting becomes the stifled talk of awkward but determined terrorists; explosions become singular and heard, but not seen and the ticking clock moves at a snail’s pace. Yet Night Moves is tense and intelligent and this reduction in what are expected genre conventions makes the film feel sharp in its representation of environmental terrorism. In fact all films depicting terrorists, whether the bombastic attention seeking style or, like here, the quiet more politically sympathetic kind would benefit from Reichardt’s careful, studied hand.

Unfortunately, like Meek’s Cutoff, Night Moves will not draw in audiences like The Kingdom (2007) or Zero Dark Thirty. This is not only down to its restrained, modest style, but speaks of the importance with which audiences view environmental issues compared to more news worthy wars abroad. Many people see the issue as someone else’s problem and the same could be said of the horrendous conflicts they take place, but unlike them, trees being cut down or ice melting isn’t cinematic enough. The East (2013) is another recent attempt at showing domestic (American) terrorism with ecological leanings without the box office.

Yet Reichardt finds a way to make it cinematic and keep us gripped. Some of the shots are beautifully framed and the western state landscapes provide a stunning backdrop. The performances of the central three are laced with anxiety and a paranoia that hangs off the screen and seeps into the viewer. The juxtaposition of the two makes Night Moves a beautifully tense slow burning thriller.