Posted on 01/04/2006 8:07:21 PM PST by pissant
Syriana” is a mess of characters and ideas, a vague picture of undefined ideologies, and a poor excuse for a “more-truth-than-fiction” exposé on the long reach of the oil business.
Only an audience’s fear of being made to feel foolish could possibly garner this film either acceptance or praise. Evidently the same goes for critics as a slew of reviews have come out in favor of the movie, which is one of the worst of the year.
This is the sophomore directing effort of screenwriter Stephen Gaghan who received praise for penning 2000’s critical favorite “Traffic”. Unique in that the film follows multiple sets of characters with rarely overlapping story lines, “Syriana” (and “Traffic” before it) has the power to show an issue from many different sides. This type of multi-perspective narration is used to ill-effect here, merely producing non-sequitors and promoting the highly redundant message of abounding evil.
In Steven Soderbergh’s hands, “Traffic” was an entertaining success, in Gaghan’s (whose only previous directing experience was with 2002’s critical and commercial flop “Abandon”) “Syriana” manages to say nothing of consequence.
The inexperienced director brutalized his cast, reducing the supposed undiscovered genius of Hollywood, Jeffrey Wright, to the equivalent of “The Tree” in the 5th grade play, the genuinely talented Matt Damon to a weightless sheep, and George Clooney to a confused clown.
There is nothing coherent in “Syriana”. It deserves no special allowance because it wants to be liked or because it should have been the waving standard for the Los Angeles left. The film is a hypnotic charlatan, indescribably sleepy and full of hot air.
A major disappointment, “Syriana” makes us doubt the reliability of a good trailer and it makes us doubt in Hollywood as a whole. If the American film industry believes it can keep feeding us confusing or contrived stories wrapped in high quality film or in big names they will continue to bite their nails over declining numbers at the box office. Forget all about piracy and first make a film you would be proud to have somebody want to steal from you. Be inspired and be diligent, this wasn’t enough.
Hollywood should have saved on the money time and effort and made just one movie - Brokeback Syrianna - with George Clooney as one of the gay cowboys
LOL. Two flops for the price of a single admission. Good thinking.
She certainly is near the top. I see about 1 movie every 3 years, and never if it has a stalwart leftie as the lead actor. I don't care if Sean Penn wins 200 Oscars, I'd kick his traitorous butt up and down the street before I paid one nickel to see his ugly mug.
That's it for me tonight. See ya soon.
I loved the original movie with Zero Mostel and Gene wilder. I might borrow the remake when a relative rents it.
Maybe add a consonant... "Brokeback Syrianal"? LOL.
You don't even remember "Springtime for Hitler"? Heck, I remember that from the original movie.
Hey Pissant,
I just rented over the New Years, "Stealth", It's a new movie on dvd. Aside from a couple special effects, it's lame.
Now i know why i haven't been renting or going out to see any new movies.
Bytheway, i had also rented "Airplane I", and "1941". I had more fun watching airplane & 1941 than that "stealth" movie. Yes, I agree Hollywood needs to wake the hell up, as do the music artists.
I'd rather buy classical music composed by some dead guy from the 1700s or whenever Beethoven and Mozart wrote them than the new crap music they try to pass as music.
Bytheway, i can get classical music from anywhere of $3.00 a cd to $12.00 for a collection of 4 cds for hours of pleasure (No lube not included). Try to buy a new Springsteen cd for $3.00, and he sucks bigtime. I'd rather eat garbage than listen to him. =)
I don't remember seeing the originl.
"The Producers" <PHave you seen the original with Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder? If not, I suggest to rent or buy that one and watch it. One of the classics. Remakes are usually turkeys
I'd rather listen to a jackhammer concerto than sit thru a Springsteen CD.
Actually, cLooney being a confused clown isn't really acting! ;-P
Just like Sean Penn playing a retard. A perfect fit.
It's funny. Kenneth Mars plays the NAZI.
Is this the movie where Matt Damon runs around screaming, "Matt Damon!!", then has his neck snapped and Clooney gets blown up by a hand grenade?.....oh no, wait.....
you mean a ist cowboy
Munich is in over 500 theatres and grossed $17m. Not exactly setting the world on fire, but you are right, it's still pretty early. Munich cost $70m to make so I'd be surprised if it turned a profit.
You mean he's not?
Oh, that's right, he's not a cowboy.
That's actually pretty impressive to me. Especially when you consider that King Kong and Chronicles of Narnia are both in over 3,000 theatres. Every other movie in the top ten has triple the theatres it does except Brokeback Mountain.
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