"The Manchurian Candidate" is a 2004 political thriller directed by Jonathan Demme, based on the 1959 novel by Richard Condon. The film stars Denzel Washington as Major Bennett Marco, a soldier who begins to uncover a conspiracy involving brainwashing and political manipulation after returning from the Gulf War. The plot centers around Raymond Shaw, played by Liev Schreiber, who is a decorated war hero and the son of a powerful politician. As Marco investigates, he discovers that Shaw has been programmed to carry out a sinister plan, leading to a tense exploration of loyalty, power, and control in a post-9/11 America.