Rating of
3/4
"The International" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 03/19/12
Clive Owen plays an Interpol agent with a grudge, pursuing a multi-national banking corporation whose clients include terrorist states and organized crime. The International is very much in the mold of 60s and 70s Cold War movies, full of methodical investigations of shadowy conspiracies, listening devices and silenced sniper rifles appearing from hotel windows. In fact it was easy for me to imagine a young Michael Caine playing Owen's part; in this way it seemed unusual, almost old fashioned compared to the glut of super fast-paced, shaky-cammed action films we've all become so accustomed to of late. Clive Owen is his usual watchably intense and dour loose cannon, frustrated by bureaucratic superiors and Naomi Watts is decent if a little irrelevant plot-wise. There is no parcouring over roof tops or bone crunching fist fights, but a shoot out in the Guggenheim is impressively staged and gives some indication of how Owen would fare as 007 if he ever chooses to take up that particular poisoned chalice (quite well I'd have to say on this evidence.) It contains little in the way of surprises, and its old school style may seem a little too long and on talk and short on action for the Bourne generation, but I for one found the concept of a thriller that did not call for the liberal use of Dramamine quite refreshing.
