Altair said:
Syriana, though not eye-opening, will definitely make you think twice when pumping gas. Especially since it's loosely based on the career of former CIA operative bob baer. Foreign policy is ugly business; add to that oil corporation and the "god bless America" sheep and you end up with minivan driving suburban dads directing missiles altering world politics.
I finally saw
Syriana tonight. I'm not so sure... I think this movie could have been much more effective than the one they made. Sure, you get the point about the collusion between politics and big business. And yes, I do like the fact that they don't hit you over the head with the storylines. But the execution leaves a little lacking, IMO. That and I was the one among my wife and my two neighbors who saw the movie and seemed to get the most of what was going on, and yet I felt I could only follow about 60% of it.
It's a little over-earnest in trying to play the political intrigue card. Contrast this with, say,
Day of the Jackal, and the flaws in execution really become apparent. But the movie does capture your attention. George Clooney is quite good in it too, IMO.
But I disagree that this movie adds any new light or perspectives on terrorism or the connection between energy supplies, public policy in the Middle East, and foreign policy between the West and the Middle East.
And also, my personal pet peeve, I continue to be personally offended by directors who ply
cinemanausea techniques to try to convince us of their faux documentary aesthetics. Please, somebody -- pay a friggin' cameraman to hold the thing steady... not like some spastic alcoholic with the DTs. Is that too much to ask? I mean film of a computer monitor in an office does not need the jitter-and-shakes treatment, for crying out loud.