JohnDoe
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February 26th 2007 08:55
Syriana (2005)
DVD Cover
Starring: George Clooney, Christopher Plummer, Amanda Peet, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Amr Waked, Kavan Novak, Nicky Henson
"What are they thinking? They're thinking that it's running out. It's running out... and ninety percent of what's left is in the Middle East. This is a fight to the death". – Bryan Woodman
Oil is fast becoming the only natural resource of any consequence, entire economies, political leaders and war are built around it.
The Stephen Gaghan film Syriana puts a microscope up to the relationship between the US and Arab world. Presenting multiple perspectives on the inherit corruption of realiance on, and the power struggles for control of depleting fossil fuel supplies.
According to Wikipedia, the word “Syriana” is applied- in the study of the international relations of the Middle East. It is used both to refer to Syria (as in Pax Syriana), and in other contexts as an arbitrary label for hypothetical countries with varying degrees of resemblance to Syria. Essentially it’s a term for what the decision maker’s in our government dream the Middle East should be like.
The film is a bread crumbs espionage thriller that opens through a murky, fog laden lens that is watching desperate Arabs fight to get on a bus. The clues begin in the unstable Iran where Bob Barnes(George Clooney), a conflicted operative deals in arms to underground revolutionaries. Wether he works for the government or a large multinational corporation is unclear.
Back in the US we see the boardrooms of a recently merged oil company. After the meeting top executives rationalize that as long as trouble in the Middle East persists and no one demand s the release of a car fuelled by water, they will make billions of dollars.
“Here's a question. How do you think it looks to profit off the death of your six year old?” – Julie Woodman
Based on Robert Baer’s memoires titled See No Evil, an attorney Bennet Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) and an energy adviser Bryan Woodman, (Matt Damon) represent three points of a US triangle of reluctant manipulation and greed.
“I want you to take him from his hotel, drug him, put him in the front of a car, and run a truck into it at 50 mph.”-Bob
Characters struggle with conscience and morality, the plot evolves into an expansive landscape of political intrigue, corporate foreign affairs and insightful observations about the hazy history of the US, the holy land and globalization.
“But what do you need a financial advisor for? Twenty years ago you had the highest Gross National Product in the world, now you're tied with Albania. Your second largest export is secondhand goods, closely followed by dates which you're losing five cents a pound on... You know what the business community thinks of you? They think that a hundred years ago you were living in tents out here in the desert chopping each other's heads off and that's where you'll be in another hundred years, so on behalf of my firm I accept your offer.” - Bryan
Thats It! The paparrazzi have crossed the line this time.
John Doe says:
Suspenseful, Syriana is a riveting mystery/thriller that,has urgency in a smoke and mirrors atmosphere. Progressively more confusing and complex, just the like the real world of double dealing, propaganda and domination of oil reserves.
Don’t assume anything. Complicated characters operate with unknown agendas. Deceit and cunning unravel, before our eyes as classy filmmaking brings authentic weight to the critical issues and ingrained paradoxes of ruthless Capitalist Diplomacy.
Set against a backdrop of exotic locations Stephen Gaghan’s screenplay is as much character study as it is a thorough examination of its subject matter. Carefully structured, with naturalistic dialogue and multiple plot strands that are cleverly deciphered into broad stroke coherence by the conclusion.
Unblinking, forcing the audience to work for its prize, the film is instinctively edited, cramming barrels full of information and a riddle to be dissected after viewing. Profound, leaving plenty of morsals to munch in the mind, the pieces of this puzzle will never fit perfectly together, because that’s one of the central themes of the story.
Taking itself deadly serious, the cinematography captures moments in fictional history that feel true and honest. All the ensemble cast are dedicated to maintaining the illusion, controlling any hint of theatrics. Past facial ticks or cold stares steadily framed in close up are no where to be seen.
Instead we get a bloated George Clooney (Out of Sight, Good Night and Good Luck) inflicting physical harm on himself by gaining 35 pounds of extra girth. A low key Matt Damon (though he still does that head-poke-out thing) also reels in the schtick and for this Trekkie an astounding turn from Alexander Siddig (DS9).
Equally pleasing are Christopher Plummer (The Man Who Would Be King, 12 Monkeys), Chris Cooper (Lone Star, October Sky, Adaptation) Jeffrey Wright (Casino Royale, Ride With The Devil) and all the other players.
John Doe watches All the Presidents men, JFK, The Manchurian Candidate and The Parallax View etc at least once a year and now Syriana is added to that list. Need I say more? A must see for anyone with even a passing interest in world events.
The DVD:
Transfer: Widescreen/5.1 Dolby Digital
Extras: Deleted Scenes, A conversation with Clooney, Featurette Make a Change, Make a Difference and the Trailer.
The trailer gives you a good idea what you are in for.
Im not a Matt damon fan, but in this scene the written word is a sublime launching pad for a sweeping statement on the state of affairs.
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Comment by DuskDevi
Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007
At the end, I just sat there...full of despair...and thankful too.
Hollywood still has a moral core.
Clooney was magnificent in this and I am not a Clooney fan. His portrayal of a CIA agent...raw...just another civil servant laying his life on the line. Literally.
Oh God. Just thinking of one particular scene... kills me...innocence corrupted but not in their own eyes.
They believe they're fighting a worthy battle.
Except for that one last shared questioning look.
Don't want to pinpoint the scene JD, for those who haven't seen this movie...
Another excellent review JD.
Hope you are well.
Dusk
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Glad you liked the review and I know the scene of which you speak...the characters and dramatic conflict are so well metered in the film.......it was hard to write the review without spoiling any of the plot because every scene is so relevant.
Thanks for dropping in...
Hi Cib,
I dont mind that Clooney looks good, just that he chooses such fine screnplays that it forces me to see most of is films even though Im not a huge fan.....I have come to appreciate his method of approaching roles and lack of onscreen showboating.
Comment by Black_Warrior