Review of Syriana (2005) by Kevin N — 11 Apr 2011

A film that takes itself so seriously and gets so caught up in namedropping places, people and current issues that it nearly dies halfway through. Luckily its expert cast (highlighted by Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Peet and George Clooney) give it a second wind with their dramatic intensity, and by the film's third act it finally comes alive to redeem itself.

It's a good thing Stephen Gaghan directed the film because he may be the only one on the planet with the capability to follow it completely- and he wrote it. There's such a thing as too much politics, and this is a good example of why.

The plot comes second to a whirlwind of convoluted information; every three minutes a new location is introduced, or a new organization enters the story. It's hard to understand or care about the three dozen characters we're given, and any connections we make are solely the result of the terrific acting, and not the surface-level direction Gaghan is involved in.