The article discusses the U.S. ambivalence on the topic of torture as highlighted in films. Topics covered include the issue of torture in the film "Zero Dark Thirty," directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the role of examining feminist film theory in providing insight on the objectification of a torture victim, the definition of the term medical gaze, and the presence of an onlooker in the film "Rendition," directed by Gavin Hood.