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| Movie Review: Syriana Alternate Title: Power Corrupts and Absolute Power
Corrupts, Absolutely
Story: I don't want to scare
you off by saying this is a not a film for everyone. I also don't want
you to skip this film because you have to do a bit of work just sitting
in the audience. By work I mean you have to think and attempt to follow
a very challenging storyline. It was directed
by Stephen Gaghan (Traffic) and inspired by
ex-CIA agent Robert Baer's book (See No Evil: The
True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA War on Terrorism). There are several storylines that do not intersect
until close to the end. 1. Bob Barnes is a middle east CIA operative
assigned to assassinate two Iranian arms dealers. He is also given the
task of assassinating a Prince Nasir (the seemingly heir apparent to
Syriana). When things go poorly, he is cut loose and abandoned by the
CIA. 2. Prince Nasir's dissolution of a long partnership
with Texan oil in favor of a Chinese oil company and his moderate views
of where his country should be headed sets Washington bigwigs, Texan
oilers and other creeps wild. 3. Meanwhile two Pakistani day laborers who have
lost their jobs in the oil fields of Syriana and face deportment because
of this new Chinese deal find acceptance, food and indoctrination with
Islamic fundamentalist. 4. There are two other plot lines involving a
DC lawyer looking for someone to hang out to dry so that the Justice
dept. can okay a huge oil merger. And finally there is a American derivatives
trader who lives in Geneva with his darling wife and two young sons
who becomes a financial adviser to the Prince.It is the perfect storm
filled with corruption, greed, murder, torture, plot twists and for
those conspiracists out there (like me), a touch too close to real life. I repeat that you have to think and pay close
attention during the entire two plus hours of the movie. Is it worth
it? I say, yes. Could it have been tightened and edited? Absolutely.
Could a few of the story lines been ditched? Absolutely. Could some
of the characters been developed more? Absolutely. Should you go to
see it? Absolutely. Acting: Everyone across the board is terrific. George
Clooney (even with 35 more pounds of him) is still eye candy
for this reviewer. He is wonderful as the war weary CIA agent. Alexander
Siddig (he was the doctor on Deep Space Nine) is sensational
as Prince Nasir. Jeffrey Wright can do no wong, ever.
And Matt Damon holds his own as the derivatives trader.
The supporting cast includes Christopher Plummer, Chris Cooper,
William Hurt and Amanda Peet.
Predilection: I like political films.
Critters: Falcons and goats.
Soundtrack: Unobtrusive (I like that).
Opening Titles: Credits at the end.
Theater Audience: Packed for the first show on a
Saturday morning.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: There is a torture scene that is very
squirmy indeed.
Drift Factor: If you drift you lose.
Predictability Level: Sadly, high.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: There were some outstanding performances
that could get a nod.
Soap Box: Foreign policy today is dictated by big
business and that does nothing for the little guy like you and me.
Nit Picking: More editing was required.
Big Screen or Rental: Support important films like
this and go to the big screen. For some of George Clooney;s other films,
try renting: Good Night, and Good Luck, Ocean's Twelve, Confessions
of a Dangerous Mind, Solaris, Ocean's, Eleven,The Perfect Storm, O Brother,
Where Art Thou?, Fail Safe, Three Kings, The Thin Red Line, Out of Sight,
The Peacemaker, Batman & Robin and One Fine Day.
Length: a bit over two hours.
LOBO HOWLS: 7
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