Based on a novel, this is a spy thriller about the hunt for a fictional "jihadist" terrorist conducted by the combined efforts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence. Roger Ferris is the CIA's main man in the field. Along with his efforts to capture the elusive terrorist mastermind he begins a tentative romantic
relationship with a local nurse named Aisha. No matter what he is doing though, he is almost always being observed by a surveillance camera from high above. On the other end of that camera is his superior Ed Hoffman, who, despite his years of experience and guidance, might not be as on the level as he should. Their (mostly Roger's) main contact on the Jordanian side is Hani, the head of Jordanin Intelligence. To make matters interesting (besides the romantic subplot), the various tactics and methods of the three men don't always align, and everyone begins to learn that trust can be just as dangerous as it is important.Adapted by Oscar winning screenwriter William Monaghan and helmed by Oscar nominated film legend Ridley Scott, this is an old fashioned spy thriller (in plot basics and formula) with a contemporary update and execution (with style, plot specifics, and context). It's engaging, thought provoking, and a fairly solid thriller. That it looks great, has a lot of talent involved, and tries to insert contemporary (and relevant) issues and events into a standard sort of yarn gives it a lot of weight as well. It's mostly works, but it's not without its issues, mainly being perhaps a tad too contrived and convoluted (mostly with its use of typical genre plot machinations), and not having a good finish to what could have been a potent subplot (the romance). About the first problem: this isn't the most dense or intricately layered film, but still, it seems a bit murky. About the romance: I was worried at first that the thing between Roger and Aisha would just be something shoehorned in there just for the sake of contrast to the rest of the film, and I started to be right, but then the film started to show some growth and development, especially with a scene where Roger vistis Aisha and her sister and gets into a cultural debate. After that though, the film does as I originally expected, and turns the romance into a typical plot device and ceases doing anymore with it, which is a shame because it started off with a nicely established cultural context and buildup.I did enjoy the cinematography, complete with context specific lighting, gorgeous landscape shots, and in general camera placement, and the film's themes and discussions of various issues, mostly the socio-political-cultural stuff. It's a decent enough yarn, and the performances are pretty decent, especially the three main players (Leonardo DiCaprio as Roger, Russell Crowe as Ed, and Mark Strong (the real scene stealer) as Hani). Despite all that's good though, I think the film could have been better had it been more balanced, a little more straightforward, and perhaps just reworked all over. Had that been done, the film could have had a more satisfying finish (though it's not a complete letdown or failure, just a tad underwhelming). Also, I know there have been great advances in technology, but I find it hard to believe that everyone in this film has excellent cell phone reception at all times. This is not one of Scott's masterworks, but despite it's flaws, it's not scarred enough to rank as one of his lowest efforts. I'd call it somewhere on the low end of the high side. You should give it a watch though, because it's got a lot to offer, does a lot of stuff fairly well, and provides a decent amount of entertainment.
February 12, 2011
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