Capsule reviews for Jan. 10

Afterward

Somber yet powerful, this documentary traces the efforts of Israeli filmmaker Ofra Bloch to reconcile her own lingering emotions about the Holocaust, and connect them to her country’s ongoing conflict with Palestinians. Specifically, she tackles subjects such as indoctrination and intolerance by talking with Germans who feel a sense of guilt, and Palestinians who feel the sting of persecution. Bloch certainly makes some audacious points about Israel turning its victimhood from World War II into moral superiority in its oppression of its neighbors in Gaza. Those efforts sometimes feel strained and self-serving, although the film is commendably even-handed and persuasive thanks to some thoughtful subjects. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

The Corrupted

The efforts of some talented actors are squandered in this by-the-numbers British crime thriller about an ex-con (Sam Claflin) trying to reconcile with his wife (Naomi Ackie) and child after spending 14 years in prison. But he winds up getting drawn back into the same web of London mobsters, drug dealers, corrupt politicians (including those played by Timothy Spall and Hugh Bonneville), and ethically compromised cops. The film downplays a potentially intriguing true-life backdrop — the aftermath of shady dealings surrounding the 2012 Olympics — in favor of formulaic twists and villains. And no amount of scowling and macho posturing can conjure sufficient emotional investment in the outcome. (Rated R, 103 minutes).

Inherit the Viper

Any attempt to explore the impact of the opioid epidemic is buried beneath clichés and contrivances in this mildly taut drama about a crime-ridden family legacy. It follows an ex-soldier (Josh Hartnett) who returns to his Appalachian hometown to join his sister (Margarita Levieva) in the drug trade, then reluctantly allows his younger brother (Owen Teague) to follow in their footsteps. Their bonding effort to avoid inevitable violence winds up threatening their loyalty to one another. Strong performances lend credibility to the film’s quieter, character-driven moments, although the screenplay lacks the narrative texture to bring much meaningful complexity to its melancholy setting or themes. (Rated R, 84 minutes).

Three Christs

In its muddled attempt to get inside the heads of mental patients, this true-life period drama from director Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes) won’t penetrate the hearts of many moviegoers. Set in 1959, it’s based on the research of a Michigan psychiatrist (Richard Gere) who works with — as the title suggests — a trio of troubled patients (Peter Dinklage, Bradley Whitford and Walton Goggins) who all claim to be Jesus Christ. His empathetic approach runs counter to the electroshock therapies of the era, which leaves his superiors skeptical. Despite some committed performances, the film downplays a nuanced exploration of mental illness by emphasizing eccentricities and sentimentality. (Rated R, 110 minutes).

Underwater

Kristen Stewart brings a feisty tenacity to this otherwise waterlogged science-fiction thriller with a generic title to match its derivative script. She plays an engineer on a deep-sea research vessel in the Pacific Ocean that breaks apart due to seismic activity, forcing her captain (Vincent Cassel) and a handful of other submerged colleagues into survival mode. Their desperate escape plan is a long shot, even before flesh-eating monsters show up. The film generates moderate suspense from its claustrophobic setting, although the genuine frights are few. Anyway, Stewart’s resourceful heroine can’t rescue a story that purposefully withholds context before losing coherence as her oxygen dwindles. (Rated PG-13, 95 minutes).