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Syriana
2005
Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for TRAFFIC, makes his directorial debut with SYRIANA, an espionage thriller set in the Middle East. George Clooney stars as Bob Barnes, a longtime CIA agent preparing to slow down his life and spend more time with his teenage son (Max Minghella). But his last secret mission, .. Read more
| Starring | George Clooney, Amanda Peet, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Gaghan |
| Genres | Drama, Thriller |
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Syriana
Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for TRAFFIC, makes his directorial debut with SYRIANA, an espionage thriller set in the Middle East. George Clooney stars as Bob Barnes, a longtime CIA agent preparing to slow down his life and spend more time with his teenage son (Max Minghella). But his last secret mission, getting rid of Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig), turns out to be more complicated than he imagined, placing him in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy involving government corruption, oil, and international terrorism. Matt Damon plays Bryan Woodman, an energy man whose ethics become vulnerable after the horrific loss of one of his sons. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., lawyers Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) and Dean Whiting (Christopher Plummer) also must choose between the government's special interests and what's best for the world (as well as their own special interests).
| Starring | George Clooney, Amanda Peet, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Plummer, Alexander Siddig |
|---|---|
| Director | Stephen Gaghan |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 2 mins Blu-ray: 2 hrs 8 mins HD DVD: 2 hrs 8 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, Thriller |
| Language | English, Audio Description |
| Subtitles | Arabic, English, Hebrew, Icelandic |
| Released | DVD: 10 Jul 2006 Blu-ray: 04 Dec 2006 HD DVD: 04 Dec 2006 Production year: 2005 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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If they were doling out gongs for best new facial hair, George Clooney's beard would win hands down for the gravitas and maturity it brings to an actor better known for his... read more »
- LOVEFiLM
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Most helpful member's review
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108 out of 110 people found this review helpful
Complex but intriguing - a political film for today
Syriana follows the multi-plot narrative that films such as Traffic and Crash did so well. Four stories are told, each interdependent on the other. One is about the CIA involvement in the Middle East, one is about the merger of two oil giants, one is about the heir to a oil rich country and the other about a Pakistani immigrant who gets laid off by an oil company only to find solace in Islamic militarism. This film is not easy going as the plots are very complex - especially the story about the oil merger and the corruption that goes with big business. The real pay off is in the last thirty minutes when all the stories come at log ahead and a climatic conclusion is sought. The film is a little over-indulgent in its complexity but it is riddled with some tension enhancing scenes such as the Clooney's torture and the CIA spy satellite. The acting and direction is superb. Be warned half the film is in subtitle but this adds to the realism of this project. Syriana at no times dumbs or glosses over the arguments about oil politics. Could be shorter and a little more straightforward for a first viewing but it should be commended for asking all the right questions.
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Complicated political drama
I was struggling to follow the plot at times, as with four story-lines on the go at once things got a bit confusing at times. Not a bad film though, with a memorable scene or two. Just be aware you may want to watch it more than once to fully understand all the story.
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News and features
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Traitor
- 23 Mar 2009
Conceived in the aftermath of 9/11 by Steve Martin (yes, that one) and director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, Traitor proved too topical for comfort and took six years to get made – and another to cross the Atlantic. The lull probably isn’t to the film’s advantage, especially as bigger budget items like Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies and The Kingdom have stolen some of its thunder. The reliably excellent and still under-utilised Don Cheadle produced it through his company and stars... Read more
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