Rating of
3.5/4
Review: Argo
MikePA - wrote on 10/13/12
Argo is not the great film I was anticipating, but it's still a fanastic thriller, one that proves Ben Afflack as being an ambitious, admirable, and gifted director. Argo is a very watchable movie, and it's worth seeing just for the story alone and how well it's told. But Ben Afflack adds so much more to this movie that makes it more compelling, such as nail-biting suspense, great comic relief from John Goodman and Alan Arkin, and taut pacing. Afflack doesn't only deliver suspense in the escape sequences with the hostages, but the dialog between the CIA builds so much tension and curiosity. Will the hostages make it out alive? There is one scene in particular towards the end that crackles and crumbles with sheer tension. The sequences set in Iran during the crises are filmed appropriately to represent how chaotic and out-of-control it is, and the terrific editing makes the film move fast without any dull or boring moments. If you're not wrapped up in the characters, you'll be glued to the story. This leads me to the one problem I had with the film: character development. I think if Afflack had developed the six hostages more as characters, the final half-hour (their escape) would have been a lot more riveting. But fear not, Afflack still manages to fuel the third act with suspense, and it's intriguing to see the challanges the hostages come face-to-face with in their escape. If you're not emotionally invested in these characters, you're still rooting for them to make it out alive.
Argo isn't the year's best movie, but it's up there, and it is deffinitely a must-see. Do not go into this film expecting an action/thriller like I did. It's strictly a thriller that propels by suspense than action and car chases. I do want to see the film again because there were one or two things I missed. Still, I really enjoyed it, and I'm sure it'll recieve a lot of attention from the Academy.
3.5/4
