I did not know what to expect when I started watching 'The International'. I wasn't really impressed with the trailer and the movie came and went out of theaters without actually creating any buzz. So, I wasn't really excited when I started watching the movie.
'The International' refers to International Bank of Business and Credit (IBBC), a bank that is involved in all kinds of illegal activities including money laundering, supplying arms, staging coups and not to mention murdering anyone in their path. Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is an Interpol agent who, along with Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) an assistant District Attorney, attempts to bring the bad guys to justice.
Well, in broad terms, that is the story. Now you know why I wasn't really excited about watching this movie. But, I have to admit, I was wrong. The movie is hugely entertaining. For me, the music set the tone of the movie. The music always carried that undercurrent of tension.
The movie starts off in Berlin where Salinger's partner ends up dead (right in front of Salinger's eyes) while trying to convince a very high level executive in the bank to switch sides. Before dying, though, he learns that IBBC is about to negotiate a $200 million arms deal with an Italian company. Why is a bank negotiating an arms deal? How can Salinger and Whitman bring the culprits to justice without getting killed first?
'The International' is a gritty thriller, slow at times, but, nevertheless, it made me sit on the edge of my seat the whole time. About two-thirds into the movie, there is a shootout at Manhattan's Guggenheim Museum which alone is almost worth the price of admission.
Clive Owen does well as a broody and cynical interpol agent. But none of the other characters are really developed. The cinematography and editing are excellent and Tom Twyker (of 'Run Lola Run' fame which is a must watch movie, in my opinion) does an excellent job keeping the pace of the film going.
Conclusion: Definitely worth the price of the admission ticket. Despite the entirely generic premise (evil bankers), this thriller is entertaining. The enormous shoot-out at the Gugenheim Museum, is definitely one of the best action sequences I have seen in a long time.
Rating: 7/10
'The International' refers to International Bank of Business and Credit (IBBC), a bank that is involved in all kinds of illegal activities including money laundering, supplying arms, staging coups and not to mention murdering anyone in their path. Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is an Interpol agent who, along with Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) an assistant District Attorney, attempts to bring the bad guys to justice.
Well, in broad terms, that is the story. Now you know why I wasn't really excited about watching this movie. But, I have to admit, I was wrong. The movie is hugely entertaining. For me, the music set the tone of the movie. The music always carried that undercurrent of tension.
The movie starts off in Berlin where Salinger's partner ends up dead (right in front of Salinger's eyes) while trying to convince a very high level executive in the bank to switch sides. Before dying, though, he learns that IBBC is about to negotiate a $200 million arms deal with an Italian company. Why is a bank negotiating an arms deal? How can Salinger and Whitman bring the culprits to justice without getting killed first?
'The International' is a gritty thriller, slow at times, but, nevertheless, it made me sit on the edge of my seat the whole time. About two-thirds into the movie, there is a shootout at Manhattan's Guggenheim Museum which alone is almost worth the price of admission.
Clive Owen does well as a broody and cynical interpol agent. But none of the other characters are really developed. The cinematography and editing are excellent and Tom Twyker (of 'Run Lola Run' fame which is a must watch movie, in my opinion) does an excellent job keeping the pace of the film going.
Conclusion: Definitely worth the price of the admission ticket. Despite the entirely generic premise (evil bankers), this thriller is entertaining. The enormous shoot-out at the Gugenheim Museum, is definitely one of the best action sequences I have seen in a long time.
Rating: 7/10
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=6e52c9b3-8e52-40c0-b763-a435c0d5e157)
0 comments:
Post a Comment