SYRIANA

(November 2005, U.S.)

The geopolitical thriller, in general, is often difficult to follow due to confusion created by numerous stories. Stephen Gaghan's film SYRIANA (he also wrote the film TRAFFIC) focuses on politics of petroleum and the global influence of the oil industry, whose political, legal, economic and social consequences are experienced by numerous people around the globe, including American, Middle East-based CIA operative Bob Barnes (played by George Clooney), American energy analyst Bryan Woodman (played by Matt Damon), Washington, D.C. attorney Bennett Holiday (played by Jeffrey Wright) and a young, unemployed migrant worker from Pakistan living in an Arab state in the Persian Gulf. In the background of these multiple character studies, U.S. energy giant Connex Oil is losing control of its key oil fiels in a Persian Gulf kingdom ruled by the powerful Al-Subaai family. The emirate's foreign minister, Prince Nasir (played by Alexander Siddig) has granted the rights to natural gas drilling to a company in China, which upsets our own U.S. oil industry and our government, as well. In order to compensate for its decreasing capacity in production, Connex Oil initiates a corrupt merger with a smaller oil company called Killen, that was recently awarded drilling rights to key petroleum fields in Kazakhstan (a country in Central Asia). Connex and Killen now rank as the world's twenty-third largest economy, which makes antitrust regulators at the the Department of Justice nervous, indeed. In D.C., a law firm headed by Dean Whiting (played by Christopher Plummer) is hired to try and smooth the way for the successful merger. Bennett is assigned to promote the outward impression of due diligence to the Department of Justice, hoping to deflect and allegations of corruption and illegal activity (all the while, dealing with his alcoholic and abusive father who keeps showing up at this door).

In the process of multiple stories all sharing the same theme of danger and intrigue, Bob Barnes is kidnapped and tortured, Bryan Woodman loses one of his children in a horrible swimming pool accident, Prince Nasir will ultimately perish in what seems like a disease of multiple car bombings, and the young, unemployed (and very susceptible) migrant worker will be recruited, brainwashed and trained for an act of post-9/11 terrorism on the Connex-Killen tanker, resembling the suicide bombing attack on the U.S.S Cole in October 2000, which is what ultimately concludes SYRIANA and its message to the world of where we currently stand.

As previously mentioned, all of this can be hard to follow. Hell, J.R. Ewing of DALLAS himself would have been scratching his head at the multiple takes on the oil business he knew so well! Still, if we can keep our minds focused on the general idea of a covert deal taking place between the United States and China involving oil being shipped through Kazakhstan, while operating under the deception of it coming from an alternate source, then perhaps you might just follow along with a problem. In fact, it's these elements of multiple characters and parallel storylines that can serve to make SYRIANA more intriguing as a motion picture, as we jump from locations in D.C., Texas, Spain, Switzerland and the Middle East to describe what can best be called "hyperlink" cinema. George Clooney's (one of the most haunting and hypnotic performances he's ever given) acts of American heroism takes us into his maze of intrigue and danger, and we can't help but keep ourselves focused as we follow along as best we can. In the end, the best we can hope to do, is presume that we're intelligent enough to follow an explosive tour of global politics, that in the end, is thought-provoking, mind-boggling and emotionally engaging. Still, we need to remember that SYRIANA is ultimately based on real global problems, including oil, energy, and the evil it provokes; problems that may never be resolved in our lifetime.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Bryan Woodman (to Prince Nasir): "You know what the business community thinks of you? They think that a hundred years ago you were living in tents out here in the desert chopping each other's heads off and that's where you'll be in another hundred years! So, yes, on behalf of my firm, I accept your money!"

SWORDFISH

(June 2001, U.S.)

Every once in a while, I completely go against the norm with movies. Some movies that are tremendous hits with the public (and even best picture Oscar winners) just don't make the grade with me. On the other hand, sometimes movies that have bombed with audiences and critics make the right connection with me for some reason. SWORDFISH, in my opinion, can easily stand on its own due to its actions, its thrills, its intrigue and its main stars John Travolta and Hugh Jackman. Oh, yeah, and you probably already know that Halle Berry treats us all to a great underwear and topless scene (but we'll come to that later)!

I suppose it would be easy to say that any movie that features this a skin show by the hot girl who played Storm in X-MEN just a year before is worth watching, but honestly, SWORDFISH is a lot more than that. Travolta proves that he's a unique villain because he not only personifies merciless evil, but also manages to deliver great dialogue that continues his snappy wit that we loved so much in PULP FICTION. From the moment the movie opens and he's telling us all just how much shit Hollywood produces and how he would have personally improved Al Pacino's masterpiece DOG DAY AFTERNOON, I'm hooked! Then, almost without warning, we realize that what appears to be simple and pleasant conversation in a coffee cafe, has turned into a very intense and violent hostage situation inside a bank.

Backtracking four days, we learn that Stanley Jobson (Jackman) is a former high-tech computer hacker and is also the best there is at it. Out on parole now, he's determined to stay away from computers and try to gain custody of his daughter who's currently being raised by her alcoholic, porn actress mother. Recruited by Ginger (Berry), Jobson proves just how good he is at his computer work to his would-be employer Gabriel Shear (Travolta), even while he's got a gun to his head and receiving a wet and wonderful time from Helga, the blonde blowjob queen of California! Well, if Stanley can crack a secure government server in just over a minute with that kind of pressure on him, then he's definitely the man Gabriel needs to program a multi-headed worm to steal billions from government slush funds.. Oh, and a ten million dollar payoff doesn't hurt Stanley, either. As we watch talented men like Stanley and Gabriel work their magic on screen, even when it involves high speed chases, explosions and killing people, our minds are surely on the clock wondering when and how the events will lead up to the big hostage standoff we already witnessed part of at the beginning of the film.

Hardcore action can be fun when it isn't overly stupid or accompanied with crap acting. SWORDFISH is well acted...well, for an action film, anyway. But it also drives home interesting and thought-provoking themes of our own American patriotism and just how for we're willing to go to protect our precious freedoms we sometimes take for granted. Gabriel makes the strong point that his ultimate goal behind his crimes is to spread fear among terrorist nations that will make them think about ever launching an attack against the United States, knowing full well that a well-connected man like him will strike back ten times as hard. In July of 2001, that notion may have seemed like nothing more than an entertaining fantasy for the big screen. Since 9/11, the notion may take on a whole different meaning. These are debatable issues in our country. Of course, we live in a world where people are supposed to be decent and would never condone the capture and killing of innocent hostage to support the greater good, whatever that may happen to be.

And so, while SWORDFISH may not exactly be John Travolta's SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and PULP FICTION, and the film itself may be regarded as nothing better than a stripped-down James Bond ripoff that's low on plot and big on explosions to the average viewer, let's not forget the most important reason that most people (other than myself) will give the film any time of day...and that is...Halle Berry strips it down and shows us her tits!

Is that a good enough reason for YOU???

Favorite line or dialogue:

Gabriel Shear: "You know what the problem with Hollywood is? They make shit. Unbelievable, unremarkable shit. Now I'm not some grungy wannabe filmmaker that's searching for existentialism through a haze of bong smoke or something. No, it's easy to pick apart bad acting, short-sighted directing, and a purely moronic stringing together of words that many of the studios term as "prose". No, I'm talking about the lack of realism. Realism; not a pervasive element in today's modern American cinematic vision."