Movie Review: The International (2009)

Anticipation can do much to taint one's view of a movie. If you go in expecting something that will change your world, you'll be disappointed if it is merely great and not extraordinary, and thus you're left with an unfavorable view of an otherwise great film. Likewise, if you go in expecting a total shit-fest, and it ends up being mediocre, you'll be pleasantly surprised, and possibly end up with a similar view of the movie that you did for the great movie that you had high expectations for, even though one was obviously better than the other.

My initial reaction to The International is that it was boring, and that Clive Owen has done much, much better films. It was nothing like I expected it to be. Instead of being filled with tension-building intrigue and adrenaline-releasing shoot-outs, the movie ended up wading through watered-down political wrangling and a solitary action sequence (which, by the way, was easily the best part of the movie).

However, the movie really wasn't as bad as my initial reaction. The main acting was serviceable, with Clive Owen bringing more intensity to his role than the script really called for, and Naomi Watts trying her best to infuse life into her meager, one-dimensional lines. The supporting actors were nothing special, but no one really seemed to detract from their scenes (barring the hitman in the scene directly before the centerpiece gun-fight).

The biggest problem with the story is that it doesn't take any surprising turns. Everything happened about the way I expected, except for possibly the ending, which I'm still not sure if it was a neat little twist or a head-banging cop-out. Everything is by-the-numbers intrigue, which ends up being an oxymoron. In addition, the story takes a somewhat plausible concept (multinational corporations getting involved in political conflict) and throws in so many illogical situations that it becomes almost painful to watch at parts.

The shoot-out at the Guggenheim museum, however, almost makes up for the missteps along the way. With an abundance of circular levels and ramps, visual artwork, and glass, the most likely reasons the Guggenheim has never been used in an action movie before are either, A) it's too costly to create a replica of the museum that can be shot up (which is precisely what The International did) or B) most people think that mixing "art" and action movies just wouldn't work.

Although it saves The International from being a complete bore, the Guggenheim shoot-out doesn't save it from being a truly mediocre movie. Worst of all, the movie can't even take it's own advice. At one point, a character says, "The difference between fact and fiction? The fiction must be believable." Too bad screenwriter Eric Warren Singer didn't take his own advice when it came to the rest of the story.

Rating: 5/10