DU MovieRatings: Syriana

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The writer is the same one as on "Traffic," which also juggled many characters and at least three storylines. However, Steven Soderbergh directed that (and won an Oscar for it), and he did a terrific job at keeping all the storylines clear and clean and keeping track of all the speaking parts. (People laugh, but even something as simple as using three different color schemes/film styles for the three different stories helped in this respect.)

"Syriana," from the numerous reviews and articles I've read, makes no attempt to keep track of its characters or plotlines--it just throws them at the audience, and you're expected to keep up. So out of some 30+ speaking parts, it's apparently impossible to keep track of everyone, how they're interconnected, who works with/for whom, who's double-crossing whom and why, and--the most important thing, and one some people will sneer at, but--who the good guys and who the bad guys are. (Yes, you can make films with moral ambiguity and no good people, but you still need to have a reason to get your audience to invest their time, money and loyalty in the story--even in the "Godfather" trilogy, which at least played out as tragedy.)

From what I can tell, "Syriana" provokes very few reactions from an audience except confusion, and that's not good. It seems like a very intelligent movie that nonetheless is somewhat dim about what it expects from an audience. (In contrast, "The Constant Gardener" was also a serious downer, political thriller about global corruption--but it was fascinating and gripping and involved the audience in its spiralling tragedy.)

it's complex, but weaves the stories together very well.

I loved Constant Gardener, but found it much more confusing (despite having read the book)

too much TV for most folks I guess. :shrug:

I thought Constant Gardener was easier to follow and I had NOT read the book. Syriana was harder to follow...IMHO

not everything has an answer or a happy ending. i thought the movie was fabulous. i understood it perfectly.....think about it and you will as well.

of course many people are happier seeing recycled crap like king kong, or the latest ben stiller flick.

i've just seen previews, but i've been told by others who have seen the movei that it's just a big oil company bashfest. totally unamerican, we should all boycott it.


:D jk i'm soooo looking forward to seeing this over break...*sigh*

it gives them half the movie to make their case and defend their actions

ironically, probably the most "sympathetic" characters are a CIA hitman and a Muslim suicide bomber. No one else is really "good" or "evil."

I think it shows capitalism pretty much as it is.

I hope you like it even half as much as I did.

loved the intellectual challenge and the unusual material (for an American film at least), but it wasn't as "enjoyable" as it could have been. Each character had so little screen time it was hard to get really emotionally involved. Could have gone form more entertainment value.

Still, I gave it a 4/5.

On edit: almost 1000 posts and I still can't learn to use spell check!