Review of Traitor (2008) by John C — 30 Apr 2009

Traitor, starring Don Cheadle from the Oceans movies, is a taught and very well written thriller set in the modern day. The movie basically deals with what happens when terrorists get people into the U.

S., and lets them sit and do nothing for a while (called sleepers) and than finally calls upon them. I had my hesitations going into this movie because I really haven't liked recent movies dealing with terrorism (The Kingdom, Body of Lies).

But this film was just great. And the movie really doesn't try and preach ever and say the American way of life is better than the Arab ways. The acting really stood out for me. Cheadle plays a man who is struggling with his morality as he is a mole inside a terrorist group plotting against America.

Is he a double agent? A triple agent? The movie takes so many twists that by the end, there was a big WOW that really summed up the movie nicely. The other actors all fit their roles well. Jeff Daniels (Dumb and Dumber) plays a CIA intelligence officer who has contact with Cheadle and basically plays the set-up man who is pulling all the strings.

It was nice to see Daniels get into some serious work after his long string of comedies in the 90's. Overall, go rent this movie is you like thrillers, political espionage, or just was to see some explosions cause this movie offers it all! I give it 4/5 stars.