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.
May the gay cowboy movie meet the same fate.
Guess someone should of told cLooney that Syria doesn't have any oil.
You have a higher opinion of him than I do. LOL
Yes, but this review looks like it was written by a conservative art fag.
Someone should have told him that socialist claptrap ain't sellin in today's America.
You got that right. Glad to see these libbie films like "Jarhead", "Brokeback Mountain", "Syrianna", "Munich" and "Paradise Now" are not exactly setting box office records.
They keep trying to say that box office returns are bad because of DVDs, etc., yet a lot of movies (not geared toward the left) are making tons of money.
Aren't all movie reviewers art fags?
Naw cause then someone might tell the Democrat Party
Witness The Passion of the Christ, the LOTR trilogy, King Kong, now Narnia.
Hello Hollywood...get a clue.
True. lets keep it a secret at least til 2008.
Steven Hunter of the Washington Post certainly isn't. Anyone who could invent Earl Swagger or his son, "Bob The Nailer" simply doesn't chug c@ck.....
Don't know that guy. Then again, I try avoiding most things, other than Krauthammer, associated with that rag.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/syriana/
They love Syrianna over at Rotten Tomatoes. gets a 73% score
Stage to movie usually does not work too well, according to my wife.
Must be a bunch of rotten liberal tomatoes.
I can think of a couple that did OK Cabaret was wonderful on stage and screen (I just lost my train of thought on the other one).
We were expecting the Producers to be as good as Chicago and it isn't even close.
I only liked Chicago because seeing CZJ in short bobbed hair worked very well for me. ;o)
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