Review of Syriana (2005) by Billw. — 25 Mar 2006
"Thriller" is a misnomer--there are about 3 minutes of thrill in this painfully long-seeming 126 minute muddled mess. I believe its main problem is that the screenwriter and director have no clue about how to use film as a storytelling medium--it is "talking heads" from beginning to end.
No showing instead of telling here. Also, many scenes have little to do with the story and could have been replaced with material that helps clarifiy the overly difficult to follow plot. One reviewer simply said the filrm was self-important--this subtle aura also plagued me all through the movie, that feeling of "artiste" consumed so much with his own talent and insight that he forgets the basic principles of cinematic entertainment.
As another user said, this should have been a documentary. I wish the critics would rate films on their entertainment value and not on the (perceived) social value. When we, as customers, dish out hard-earned cash for a film that's dubbed "political thriller," we want to be entertained first, everything else second.
If they fail tot entertain, they have ripped us off.
This review of Syriana (2005) was written by Billw. on 25 Mar 2006.
Syriana has generally received positive reviews.
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