Film Review – Sovereign

“Sovereign” is based on a true story, using the details of the 2010 West Memphis police shootings to inspire a study of American insanity as it spreads throughout the land and across generations. Writer/director Christian Swegal makes his feature-length helming debut with the endeavor, and he dips into a particularly dark tale of influence, examining the experience of a teenage boy who’s completely guided by his father’s radicalization, eventually challenged to understand his parent’s poisonous way of thinking as he begins to mature into an adult. “Sovereign” is a riveting picture that aims to identify the frustration of those lost to indoctrination, also providing a parallel perspective with law enforcement to balance out the viewing experience. Swegal is careful and observant with the film, which reaches many chilling moments and painful reminders of U.S. extremism, and it’s held together by star Nick Offerman, who provides a searing performance in one of the best roles of his career. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com