Traitor

[Bourne101]

http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/overture_films/traitor/traitor_galleryposter.jpg

Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Written by Jeffrey Nachmanoff

http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/overture_films/traitor/guy_pearce/traitor1.jpg

Genre: Drama

Plot Outline: A special operative working with a terrorist group becomes the target of the CIA.

http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/overture_films/traitor/_group_photos/don_cheadle1.jpg

Starring: Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Neal McDonough

Rated PG-13 for intense violent sequences, thematic material and brief language.

Runtime: 110 minutes

Not sure about this one. Could go either way.

[Lawgick]

Looks good to me.

[FireCaptain4]

From the trailer, I think it has promise. Sadly, I haven't seen a single public TV spot or advertisement for this. I'm interested mainly because of Don Cheadle and Guy Pierce- two actors who never let me down.

[eljefe15]

I'm a big fan of Don Cheadle and the trailers for this gave off a Syriana vibe or something like that. But in one of the more recent trailers it said "this year's Bourne Ultimatum." Now I actually liked Bourne Ultimatum but I don't like it when movies advertise like that because it seems like they're desperate and looking to clutch onto a recent movie and its popularity. I think I'm passing. If they're resorting to that then it can't be good.

[JohnnyPolo]

I'm going to see this, but I feel like it won't be doing anything creative or new to this genre of movies. Still, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce are great, I just hope they have some good material to go off of.

[Lazy Boy]

It might be good -- political thrillers are hit and miss with me, some I find boring while others I find glue me to my seat. It doesn't hurt that the two actors are good.

Hey, Steve Martin came up with the story for this film! That's probably the most interesting thing about it so far.

[ilovemovies]

Looks very solid and it has a great cast. Can't wait to see it myself.

[jolanar]

It has an absolutely terrible trailer. I'll skip it unless I hear some good word of mouth.

[Moviefan1234]

TRAITOR has a great premise, but somehow the trailer made it look boring as shit. I'm waiting to hear what the critics have to say before I make up my mind on seeing it in theatres.

[xseanymacx]

Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce have my ass in the seat. No question.

[Strider]

Hey, Steve Martin came up with the story for this film! That's probably the most interesting thing about it so far.

I have to agree. I looked up Traitor on IMDB the other day, and I saw Steve Martin's name on the front page. I thought to myself: "No, it can't be THE Steve Martin." So I clicked on the name, and then I saw a picture of THE Steve Martin. Color me surprised.

As for the film, it looks decent. Nothing spectacular. I'll see it only for Don Cheadle and especially Guy Pearce, who I haven't seen since The Proposition.

Strider

[hyena]

Ok I'm a moron. I didn't even realize Guy Pearce was in this -- I only saw one TV spot and I swear he wasn't in it. I'll see this for sure now.

[SpikeDurden]

I can't help but think that if this was actually good, it either would've been released before August during the summer, or saved until October. But I do really like the trailers and the cast, so I'll definitely see it. I'm just cautious.

[AshleysDad]

Looks like a movie that should be released in Dec for the awards.

[Max Cady]

Watched the trailer on Youtube. Guy Pierce and Cheadle are some of my favorite actors. The movie looks awesome, finally a story line that we haven't seen a million times in the last to months.

Definitely a must see IMO.

[bigred760]

I'll probably see it because of Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce. It has a promising premise, but the trailers and TV spots don't make it look that exciting.

[ilovemovies]

ARGH! Stupid fucking trailer! This is yet another case where the trailer gives a way the big twist of the movie!


SPOILERS!






I REALLY wish that the trailer hadn't given away that Cheadle's character was an undercover agent. It's not revealed until half way through the movie and could have been a great surprise! :mad:

I only have two other beefs with this movie.

Exactly how does Guy Pearce's character find out about Cheadle? I mean yeah, Cheadle does send him an email, but is that it?

My other beef is about the FBI mole. Do they even reveal who it is? I'm very fuzzy on that.


This movie has franchise potential I think. I could see Cheadle and Pearce returning for a series of movies of this. I personally would love to see that happen as I really enjoyed the movie. It's at times nerve wrackingly suspenseful and gripping. It's an exciting thriller. But it's also thoughtful and the terrrorists in this movie, especially the Omar character, are not strictly one dimensional. It's really compelling and thought provoking.

One thing, if this does becomes the first of a movie franchise, hopefully Pearce will have more to do in the next outing. I was surprised how underused he was in this movie. It's definitely Cheadle's movie through and through and boy does he deliver. He gives yet another intensely fine performance that he can add to his resume.

This movie was like a cross between 24 and the Bourne movies. I liked it a LOT!

7/10

[JoeChar4321]

Usually, unconventional is interesting but in this case it’s just awkward and even tedious. The movie establishes itself well enough that you care about the outcome but the delivery meanders so much that you are barely hanging on when the resolution hits. The film wants to play both sides of the terror equation and wants to illustrate aspects of the muslim belief structure while humanizing certain participants but it ultimately fails. The movie itself can’t get out of its own way and offers a muddy plot that doesn’t do much of anything.

5.5/10 - Interesting and well acted but ultimately lacking


HUGE SPOILER.....





Was anyone else puzzled by the fact that even more innocents may have died in the clever bus explosion and that it didn't even register with the conscientious lead character? He may have put all 30 terrorists on the same bus but there were more then 30 seats available. What about the poor bus driver? It may have been his best option but why give the terrorists active trigger devices in the first place? It's not like they could actually test the devices to see if they work.

Inconsistent film on too many levels.

[ilovemovies]

SPOILERS!





Jeff Daniels tells Cheadle that they have to do whatever it takes to keep him undercover even if that meant giving them real bombs, which is what they had to do.

Yes innocent people died, just like there were a few unexpected casualties occured at the American embassy earlier in the movie. But in Cheadle's mind it was either go a head with all 50 busses or at least limit the casualties to just one bus which is what he does.

And it DOES weigh at him. There are a lot of scenes where Cheadle questions their tactics and even tells Daniels character at point that he sounds just like the terrorists do. That's one of the great themes the movie explores. The moral ambiguity of it all that I really liked. Just look at the end of the movie, the last scene between Cheadle and Pearce. Pearce calls Cheadle a hero but Cheadle doesn't feel that way at all because he had to kill people.

I didn't find the movie to inconsistant at all. It was very consistant.

[Ron34]

Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce have my ass in the seat. No question.

agreed

[SpikeDurden]

I'm going tonight. I need a little seriousness in the multiplex.

[SpikeDurden]

I'm going tonight. I need a little seriousness in the multiplex.

Nachmanoff is not a great director. The film is a tad sloppy and all over the place, and it looks like an episode of television, which isn't nearly as much of a bad thing as it used to be, a lot of television looks great nowadays, but still in terms of visuals and style the film never feels like a motion picture.

That being said, the film is also mostly riveting, thanks to a slew of great performances from Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and especially Saiid Taghmaoui. What I liked about the film is the way it took us into the mind of the modern day Jihad terrorist, and because of that the film is absolutely frightening. The film portrays them as truly multi dimensional human beings, and it should both be respected and feared because of that. It also successfully explores just how far a man will go to serve his beliefs and his country, on both sides of the conflict. The film is also filled with its fair share of twists and turns that would've played better if not for the trailer, but it still keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat as the shadowy international terrorism and espionage world unveils itself.

With a better director the film could've been great, but instead it's just pretty good. In terms of similar films, Syriana is better but Traitor is better than the Kite Runner. But it's a step in the right direction in terms of portraying terrorists as villains in films, a group who are despicable, yes, but are often portrayed as ham fisted, over-the-top caricatures.

7/10

Any other suggestions/recommendations about films dealing with modern day middle east foreign policy, terrorism and whatnot?