Sep 10, 2009 06:20 AM
2482 Views
(Updated Sep 12, 2009 05:26 AM)
The movie revolves around CIA operative Roger Ferris(Leonardo DiCaprio) and his veteran handler Ed Hoffman's(Russell Crowe) mission to capture/kill a terrorist leader who has bankrolled several bombings.
Roger is a field agent, who can easily slip in and out of several countries, speaks Arabic, has local contacts and is assidiously tracked by satellite and cellphone wherever he is by Ed, and who is detailed enough to spot a nurse's accent as that of an Iranian in a Jordanian hospital. Into the mix comes a Jordanian intelligence head Hani(Mark Strong) whose assistance is sought by them, but anyone who has done business in the intelligence world knows to never trust anyone and Roger is mired in between the elephant sized egos of these individuals.
The movie also outlines the sad realities of the local spies working for US, who get used and dumped for convenience even when they are in danger or get killed in the process.
The best lines of the movie are in the end "Nobody likes the Middle east, there is nothing to like here, coming from a CIA veteran but the equally swift response "that's the problem isn't it Ed" underscores the dilemma, stereotypes the movie tries to highlight and succeeds in some part.
Some of the movie sequences like torture of Roger are quite graphic but seems like inspired from Al Qaeda videos.
The background music seems like a lift from Bourne series in some parts.
Acting:
Leonardo and Russell seemed to just do what the doctor ordered, with no scene stealing emotions and dialogue delivery.
Mark Strong's role was probably the best among the lot, cunning, deceptive but highly effective.
*Unbelievable sequences:
*Conversations between Leonardo and Russell over the cellphone are so clear that they put to shame the cellphone carriers call quality delivery in USA
The tracking of an individual feet by feet through satellite was too detailed to believe, maybe this technology may arrive in the few years but I doubt it exists now.
The nurse is somehow linked to capture the elusive terrorist was purely fancy and very ordinary.
