The International Review
by Steve Rhodes (steve DOT rhodes AT internetreviews DOT com)February 14th, 2009
THE INTERNATIONAL
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2009 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Slow and preposterous but intriguing and engaging as well, THE INTERNATIONAL is a odd film. In many ways, it is diametrically opposed to the traditional Hollywood thriller. THE INTERNATIONAL is set in a world in which the good guys and the bad guys possess very few high tech gadgets. Even their hit men are reduced to using a public pay phone to get their messages. And, when tracking a suspect, the cops carry no communication equipment, relying instead on visual signs to communicate with each other. This throwback of a story, however, is set in today's world, or more precisely today's world as viewed from a 2007 perspective. More on this later.
Director Tom Tykwer appears to forgotten everything he knows about how to make a fast paced, highly energetic film. In contrast to his RUN LOLA RUN, THE INTERNATIONAL might be titled PONDER LOUIS PONDER, as Tykwer's lead character this time, Louis Salinger (Clive Owen), spends more time contemplating action than doing it.
The film does contain one great gun battle, as a nearly infinite number of Uzi-wielding thugs try to take out Louis, an Interpol agent who is trying to bring in a hit man. With shades of the ending gun fight in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, this long scene is an adrenaline-pumping rush. But, the rest of the movie relies solely on appealing to the viewer's intellect, not always a wise decision for a big budget production. While I found the movie fascinating, others may find all of it, save the shoot-'em-up sequence, to be a snoozefest.
Set mainly in Berlin and in Manhattan, the story concerns a banking cabal intent on world domination. When the movie was being made a year or so ago, viewers -- with several leaps of faith -- might actually have envisioned bankers as would-be masters of the universe, so powerful than nothing could stop them from taking over the planet. But in today's world, in which the biggest banks have been effectively nationalized, it's hard to see them as all-powerful, as this movie makes them out. And, not just financially powerful, the lead bank in THE INTERNATIONAL, the nefarious IBBC, is in the process of cornering the world arms market, since they want to use this power in order to control the entire world, not just its money.
THE INTERNATIONAL opens on the same day as CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC. Ironically, both films are equally untimely. The only spendthrift left is the federal government, whose leaders would probably view shopaholic activity as stimulative and thus something to be encouraged, not shunned.
Extremely well cast down to the smallest supporting player, the movie has one other major star in addition to Owen; Naomi Watts plays New York ADA Eleanor Whitman. When Louis sees a conspiracy of world-wide proportions, Eleanor is the first one to believe him.
A major uncredited star of the production is the architecture. Finding -- and probably creating with CGI -- some monstrous and imposing edifices, Tykwer makes the actors look like ants compared to the buildings, which appear as if designed by Nazi architect Albert Speer. And with every day overcast, the gloomy weather and sometimes lightly blowing snow gives a constant and consistent feeling of foreboding doom.
Especially good in a key supporting role, Brian F. O'Byrne (Colin from "The Brotherhood") plays a character called "The Consultant." What he consults on are assassinations, which he carries out efficiently and stealthily, helped immensely by the protection of law enforcement agents who, of course, are card-carrying members of the same evil group seeking world domination.
Besides working as a good -- even if always ridiculous -- political thriller, the movie provides some homilies that do ring true. If you can control the debt, you can control everything, one of the bankers explains. Politicians today have definitely come to learn the power of that thought.
But probably the best way to enjoy THE INTERNATIONAL is by trying not to question anything. Just sit back and go with the narrative. If you can stay awake, you'll probably enjoy it.
THE INTERNATIONAL runs a slow 1:58. It is rated R for "some sequences of violence and language" and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, February 13, 2009. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Cinemark theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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