Short Review: Any film where the State Department is shown to be a gaggle of heartless, incomprehensibly inept baboons is cool with me.


Remarkably, this movie not overly political. Given that the film industry feels compelled to shoehorn pathetic political snipes in even films about middle-aged cookbook authors, the fact that this movie saves its lefty political jabs for the opening credits and the final moments of the film, is notable. When you toss in the fact that this film has U. S. agents scuttling around in the sand in the Middle East, the lack of a “blame America first and blame America often” haranguing is almost unbelievable.

While this film begins with a simplistic, and lopsided, but visually interesting history of how American intrusion into Saudi Arabia (for the purposes of obtaining oil) has lead to the modern Islamic terrorist, the movie overall refrains from finger pointing. This said, the opening historical review does somehow manage to only show Republican Presidents and their administrations adding flames to the Islamic fires. Democratic administrations are remarkably absent. The review also avoids holding the Saudi’s, or more importantly the Islamic terrorists, accountable for their own actions.

Overall, the film overall is a gripping thriller. Islamic terrorists conduct a horrific bombing of an American interest in Saudi Arabia and a team of FBI agents investigates the crime. During the process, the lead investigator. Special Agent Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx), has to contend with Saudis restricting his access, but also the American State Department hamstringing his efforts.

The script by Matthew Michael Carnahan is tight and intelligent. The investigation is smartly handled and doesn’t unfold too neatly. Carnahan does a great job of playing off of the disconnect between Fleury and his fellow investigators (Jennifer Garner, Chris Cooper and Jason Bateman) and their Saudi hosts. The agents are in a foreign land and they are not welcome guests. The continual threat of violence heightens the tension.

The biggest failure of the script is in character development. With a twisting plot, the multiple characters get lost in the shuffle and many lose dimension. In particular Jason Bateman’s character Adam. To be honest, I am not certain why he was brought along on the investigation. His character literally does nothing of note to assist in the investigation except interrupt with humorous lines about how much he doesn’t like being involved.

In addition to the aforementioned flaw in the script, director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) fails to deliver meaningful close. In the advertisements there is particular attention paid to the thrill of the final half-hour. The final segment of the film is indeed riveting. The final segment has some good pacing and it will guarantee to impact an audience. All of this good work devolves into a typical, and sadly predictable, Hollywood ending. It is a very safe resolution slathered in moral relativism. The terrorists are bad, but we’re no good too. No one is right because everyone is wrong. With the intelligent story that preceded it, the ending feels cheap and sanctimonious.

Despite the character issues and the troublesome ending, I think most audiences will enjoy the film. It's just a shame it could have been better.



Related Reviews:
Jason Bateman movies
Extract (2009)
Smokin' Aces (2006)


Other Critic's Reviews:
Cinematic Concerns
eFilmCritic





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Labels: Ashraf Barhom, Chris Cooper, film, Jamie Foxx, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Jeremy Piven, movie review, Peter Berg, Tim McGraw

In a time when the industry feels comfortable to casually infuse political messages in films where politics has no place, it is refreshing that this movie about the capture of real life FBI Agent turned traitor Robert Hanssen doesn't come with an agenda. Chris Cooper is outstanding as Hanssen. Hanssen was a devout Catholic and family man while also a despicable turncoat. Cooper does a fantastic job balancing this double life and bringing the conflicted man to screen.

Opposite Cooper, Ryan Phillippe portrays a young clerk who is instrumental in bringing the Russian spy down. Phillippe gives a performance that will be familiar to anyone who has seen him act before. Phillippe may be a one trick pony, his sole trick being looking young and out of his depth, does work here however.

The film as a whole isn't one that will set the cinematic world on fire but it is a solid piece of drama. Given that the audience knows the resolution of the piece, the script by Adam Mazer, William Rotko and Billy Ray manages some good moments of suspense. I'd recommend picking this one up when what you want to watch isn't available. It's a good standby.

Labels: Chris Cooper, FBI, film, Laura Linney, movie review, Ryan Phillippe, spy

Labels: Chris Cooper, FBI, Laura Linney, movie trailer, Ryan Phillippe, spy