Syriana Reviews

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.

[Highly rated reviewer]

Difficult to understand

I borrowed this film as a result of all the hype. However, I found it difficult to understand, the dialogue was mumbled and some of the subtitles seemed to be missing. We are politically aware and can well believe the corruptions portrayed in this are true. However, films should entertain as well as educate and there was very little joy in this.

Too confusing for us to be bothered watching all the way through.

[Highly rated reviewer]

The first hour is awful, but it gets better

This is one of the most complicated films I've seen, and I was lost, completely lost, for the first hour or so. But this is surely intentional (the producers actually gave sheets with character bios to the critics when they sent their film out to be reviewed, so they were well aware that it was going to be complicated). To be honest, you will spend the first hour not knowing who is who, who is working for whom, etc. I've read Roger Ebert's review who says that this does not matter, as our confusion is the same as the confusion among the people in the film, ie they have no idea who is 'good' or 'bad' (or are they all 'bad'). I don't buy that: I think that it would be a better film had the first hour been a tad clearer. In the end, I almost never got to see the ending, as I was beginning to get really fed up (I don't like to feel stupid, and I felt stupid during that first hour). I'm glad I stayed with this one, as it turned out to be quite a good thriller, and very subversive (good old Clooney!). I can well imagine every single thing in the film happening for real - the oil, the corruption... for that, Clooney deserves an applause. But as far as the storytelling is concerned, it's just so confusing, I can't give it more than 2 stars. Which is a shame, as I love a good thriller, and I believe 100% in the premise.

Complex, with a corker of an ending

It is great to see films of such calibre hitting the big screen again and having seen this film, I can't wait for the next Clooney mind-bender! The film's plot is complex, so steer clear of watching it after a heavy meal and a bottle of wine. However, for those of you who do like their celluloid of a higher brow; I cannot recommend this film enough! It avoids assuming that it's audience is dumb and just goes for the jugular with inter-linking plots, heady political intrigue and a nice ending that brings together the four main stories very neatly.

The best part of the movie is undoubtedly the pakistani oil worker plot; in which a disenfranchised teenager under the thrall of the vagaries of big business buy-outs, ends up being laid of through no fault of his own. It is easy to see how his hatred of the oil company is picked up on and used by the terrorist recruiters. It is also a bitter-sweet indictment of both the global organisations who don't care enough about their staff and the terrorist organisations who go too far by assuming that violence will make a difference. A well thought out, thought-provoking movie.

Stunning

Without spoiling the plot, Syriana is a political thriller studying the relationship between corruption in the oil trade, American foreign policy and the rise of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. The film is shot and structured in a manner very reminiscent of Traffic and follows four main characters, an anti corruption investigator, a CIA agent, a financial adviser and a disenfranchised Pakistani oil worker. It is a credit to the film makers that Syriana doesn't have a single wasted scene, every scene manages to both progress the story and convey the film's message. The film was well written, dramatically shot and superbly acted. The only possible criticisms you can throw at Syriana is that it is slow moving and the dialogue sometimes gets bogged in legal jargon, but if you see this more as a challenge than a problem then you'll find Syriana to be an engaging, profound, fascinating film.

Hard work but rewarding

I had high expectations from this film having read previous reviews, however I ended having mixed feelings as the credits rolled.

For anyone looking for a simple film with lots of 'killings and explosions' this film certainly is not for you, do not rent.

However this film will deliver for people looking for a change from the mainstream. Syriana tackles a sensitive issue and is not pro American which makes a refreshing change. You will have to be in the mood to watch this film it doesn't do all the work for you.

Overall someone who watches this film will be the type of person who watches the news, newsnight and enjoys films like the Constant Gardiner and Rwanda.

The reason I gave this 3stars and not 4 was my girlfriend constantly asking me questions about the plot throughout, which detracted somewhat enjoyment from the film

Moral: Choose wisely who you watch this film with.

True-Fiction-Complex, but rewarding

Seemingly very slow, gains some serious pace around halfway through, and then stuns.

Huge spectrum of locations and characters. All well acted.

To scare yourself ; the guy who Clooney's character is based upon issued a bunch of interviews trying to explain the bigger picture that this film approaches from a fictional standpoint.

Have a look at these links:

http://www.911blogger.com/2006/06/former-cia-membe r-robert-baer-comments.html

http://www.chud.com/index.php?type=interviews&id=5 140

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/tehr an/interviews/baer.html

http://www.buzzflash.com/interviews/03/09/12_baer. html

This will help you to get a clearer view of the bigger picture.

It is truly terrifying that the events in the film are based on real events and decisions.

In light of reading the interviews after watching the film, it has made me want to go back and watch it again with new insight.

American Middle East Mea Culpa

This is a very powerful political thriller that exposes the corrupt influences of American oil interests in the Middle East.

Although the plot is very convoluted, after a slow start, the story picks up a grim relentless momentum as it moves to its terrible climax. There are no real heroes and a lot of bad guys, mostly American. The only innocents are the Moslem workers whose growing alienation from Western values and exploitation make them easy prey for subversion by their fanatical fundamentalist Islamist teachers into suicide bombers.

This film is a must see for anyone interested in the context of the so-called 'War on Terror' and how it came about, and begs the question as to which side is really to blame .

A thought provoking as well as powerful movie!

Complex but rewarding

Syriana requires that you maintain composure whilst four different but equally complex stories are slowly moulded together to reveal the final picture (so if complex narrative usually frustrates you then avoid this film).

Oil is the central focus here and the characters are all connected by America's relentless exploitation of the Middle East. Undoubtedly Gaghan and Clooney are sending a message - make of it what you will!

I should add that the film is beautifully shot and the characters are brilliantly delivered, especially by Clooney whose portrayal of an ageing and isolated CIA operative is simply genius.

Syriana wont blow you away but it slowly grows on you and by the end you will be quietly satisfied that all pieces of the puzzle have slotted into place.

Read the book

If you want to enjoy this film, read the book first. I did, and still struggled to understand it. And if you've read the book, then you won't want to spoli it with such an awful film, Perhaps if it was 5 hrs long, and actualy developed some of the characters. It should have been made obvious when the subtitiles were for Arabic or Pakistani, and if some of the dialogues had been any quieter, I would have had to get my dog to translate for me.