Review of Traitor (2008) by James R — 21 Apr 2009

When audiences see government-themed movies, they are often struck by how much information the government apparently keeps from the general public. This has become fairly commonplace. But Traitor, like Body of Lies and Rendition, takes that concept a step further by exploring how much information different branches and/or agents within the government actually keep from each other. The questions of who is trustworthy, who is cleared to know certain things, and whether those people may not be the same, underlie the story and drive the characters with that much more tension and apprehension.

Traitor also hits viewers very hard in their morals. Moving far beyond issues of who is on what side, it dives headfirst into what happens when both sides might be right (or at least believe they are), how far one can go beyond one's ethical limits to follow orders or support the greater good, how to reconcile faith with morality, and what means can justify what ends. This movie really makes you think.

But, surprisingly, it does not sacrifice excitement for its thoughtfulness. The plot takes a little while to get going, but once it does there's no stopping it. Don Cheadle turns in another gripping performance that keeps the audience guessing until the last possible moment. Guy Pearce, a heavily underrated actor these days, is masterful (and does a passable Southern accent). And everything that happens in the movie has a solid reason to happen; nothing seems farfetched or contrived.

I know the Middle Eastern/Arab terrorist cell gimmick is somewhat overdone these days, and more or less has been since The Siege (which predated 9/11, even), but by focusing on the characters and downplaying the carnage, Traitor pulls it off without seeming gimmicky. A very solid film.