Syriana
Director Stephen Gaghan ties everything together in
this story of oil companies, Arab leaders, and globalization
Best known for having written "Traffic"--multiple
connected stories about drug users and drug dealers--Stephen Gaghan's latest
effort does a similar treatment to the world of oil--the producers, the
procurers, and the immigrant workers. As in
"Traffic," we see several stories happening at
once: CIA operative Bob Barnes (George Clooney) is out in the field trading arms
with whichever fringe group is on our side at the moment; financial analyst
Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon) loses a son but winds up advising the progressive
emir whose father's pool electrocuted his son; meanwhile, two petroleum giants
are about to merge; and immigrant workers from Pakistan fall prey to a
charismatic Muslim extremist who slowly but surely lures them into a suicide
mission.
The performances are good and
the connectedness of the stories seem credible. It doesn't seem so implausible
that a big oil company could literally help an aging Arab leader change his mind
about who will succeed him, if the lesser son is willing to favor their company
in the end. It also doesn't seem so impossible that the U.S. government might
aid in the assassination of the progressive son who might democratize his
emirate but not have pro-American
policies.
As in "Traffic," an awful lot
is thrown at the viewer here, but unlike the earlier film, "Syriana" doesn't
connect us quite as emotionally to any of its characters to give them any
rooting value. Everyone seems sort of hatable to some degree, actually.
"Syriana" does provide a fascinating look at the issues that are currently
driving much of our current foreign policy; it's a shame that everyone seems
easily corrupted.
Posted: Thu - December
29, 2005 at 12:50 AM