Just when everyone thought Kristen Stewart would be forever stuck in her “Twilight” era, she delivered one of the most gripping performances of her career in “Camp X-Ray.” This tragic drama, now trending at #2 on Paramount+ worldwide despite being released almost a decade ago, showcases her remarkable talent.
Directed by Peter Sattler in an impressive directorial debut, the picture demonstrates a level of skill typically seen in more seasoned filmmakers. Though Sattler’s filmography isn’t extensive, he recently penned the screenplay for “The Exorcist: Believer,” the most notable horror film of 2023.
“Camp X-Ray” received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised the film’s strong moral ambiguity and lauded the performances of Kristen Stewart and Payman Maadi.
‘Camp X-Ray’ occupies the Top 2 on Paramount+ worldwide
Although all the works of the “Crimes of the Future” actress are remarkable, “Camp X-Ray” is the milestone that brought her to the attention of the high spheres of cinema. Thus, it’s not surprising to see it as the second most-watched movie on Paramount+ worldwide.
It has impressively dethroned “Ride Like a Girl,” the biographical film about the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, which is consistently popular in the catalog. Currently, Sattler’s creation is in a neck-and-neck competition with Jenna Ortega‘s “Finestkind” for the top spot on the chart.
The drama follows the story of a soldier named Amy Cole, who joins the military to escape her suffocating home and is sent to guard prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Her perspective on her job and life shifts dramatically when she befriends a prisoner named Ali Amir, who has been there for eight years.
Apart from the aforementioned leads, “Camp X-Ray” also features outstanding performances by Julia Duffy, John Carroll Lynch, Lane Garrison, Joseph Julian Soria , and others.
The film takes a risky approach by depicting life at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, but it succeeds by focusing on the human aspect of the innocent people incarcerated there, highlighting their suffering for not having the chance to appeal or have anyone appeal on their behalf.
