The International Movie
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Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
In The International, an edge-of-your-seat action thriller, Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) are determined to bring to justice one of the world's most powerful banks. Uncovering illegal activities including money laundering, arms trading, and the destabilization of governments, Salinger and Whitman's investigation takes them from Berlin to Milan to New York and to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as the bank will stop at nothing - even murder - to continue financing terror and war.
| Fabrice Scott | Nicholai Yeshinski |
| Alessandro Fabrizi | Alberto Cerutti |
| Remy Auberjonois | Sam Purvitz |
| Patrick Baladi | Douglas White |
| Luca Barbareschi | |
| Anders Bramsen | Odd Guy at Guggenheim |
| Daniel Burress | Artist |
| Luca Calvani | Enzo Calvini |
| Pasquale Cassalia | Politician |
| Chris Henry Coffey | |
| Alex Cranmer | Guggenheim Manager |
| Logan Crawford | CWNN Reporter |
| Joel Cross | Bus Passenger |
| Marco Gambino | Lawyer 1 of the Calvini Firm |
| Lars Joermann | Rechtsanwalt |
| Tom Tykwer |
6.70 out of 10 (10018 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A well-plotted cerebral thriller
posted on 31 Aug 2009"The International" is not a typical action-packed thriller. The first half of the movie moves at a rather sedate pace, and does appear plodding in parts, but this is necessary to get the action going in the latter half of the movie. The theme explored in the movie is very much in tune with present times, given the collapse of major financial institutions worldwide.
Clive Owen plays Interpol Agent Louis Salinger, and Naomi Watts plays NY Asst DA Eleanor Whitman, who are both investigating the sinister and illegal dealings of an international banking corporation, the IBBC. The first half of the movie spends much time, a lot of which is dialogue-driven, delving into what the IBBC is about and why the bank is being investigated. The story arcs do get a bit confusing at times, as there are many facets to the bank's operations.
The middle part of the movie focuses on an IBBC hitman [who offs those the IBBC deems a threat to their operations], with the action moving from one city to another. This includes a well-executed action sequence at the Guggenheim Museum which is the highlight of the movie. The final part of the movie shifts back into slow gear as the setting moves from NY to Turkey. Salinger with the help of an informant tries his best to put an end to the IBBC's illegal dealings, but there are a couple of plot twists here that require careful attention. The ending does make you think and try to link the previous story arcs in order to understand what exactly is going on, but it's really not that hard to figure out.
Clive Owen is credible as the determined Interpol Agent, and Watts is average [she doesnt really get the chance to flex her acting chops here like she did in 21 Grams]. I particularly liked the supporting role played by Armin Muehller-Stahl [one of my favorite actors] as one of the main reps of the IBBC.
This movie is not for the die-hard action fan, but if you like cerebral thrillers, this may just be your cup of tea.
A Terrific Stimulus Package
posted on 31 Aug 2009I love thrillers and chillers and 'The International' lives up to all of this. I caught myself on the edge of my seat- this is a film that moves quickly from city to city with a mystery waiting to be solved. We are kept apprised just as the two main detectives put two and two together.
Clive Owen as Louis Salinger, an Interpol agent and Naomi Watts as Elinor Whitman, a detective in the Brooklyn DA's office join forces to expose a high-profile financial institution's role in an international arms dealing ring. Strange duo but somehow it works. There is no romance in this film, but you can feel that these two like working together. Salinger and Whitman's investigation takes them from Berlin to Milan to New York and to Istanbul. And, in each city, they find the most beautiful architecture. The International Bank and Business Corporation, which appears to be the major business in selling arms to customers- no money, but lots of arms, is a beautiful large open building with wraparound windows in Berlin. In reality they used the Volkswagen building. The essence of architecture leads us to look at the cities that are visited and the visually stimulating cinematography. As one reviewer said "Banks are not lending much money these days, but if you want to buy some warheads, they might take a meeting." At IBBC anyone who is involved in an investigation of the bank winds up dead, and as the dead pile up, the story becomes fascinating.
The acting is excellent, Armin Mueller-Stahl as Wilhelm Wexler , one of IBBC's bankers is really involved in leading 'The Consultant' Brian O'Byrne, to the people who need to be killed. One of the more riveting scenes takes place at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC. A shoot-out like none you have ever seen takes place. It is a remarkable feat, and worth the film for these few scenes. Salinger, wants to right the world as most heroes do, and Whitcomb is along for the ride. The lessons learned are well worth the price of the DVD.
The International at times may be difficult to keep up with, but along with Salinger and Whitcomb, we figure it out. I loved the suspense and the story line, and I hope there is a sequel. After All, banks are the bad guys of this decade!
Highly Recommended. prisrob 06-12-09
Derailed (Unrated Widescreen)
Mulholland Drive
Great Movie
posted on 31 Aug 2009"The International" is a good and honest movie. Hollywood generally doesn't release movies that are fairly original and intellectually respectful to the audience. The story deals with world bank corruption and how it's not the money that motivates them, but rather the power of enslaving nations and people with debt. If you know anything about the fractional reserve system of current banking, then this movie makes a lot of sense. I am surprised that Hollywood would release a movie like this.
The movie doesn't try to be more then it is. It does, however, take the audience on a journey to explain how the current economic situation could possibly be manipulated. The movie does follow some cliches, but I felt they were handled in original and artistic ways. The Guggenheim scene was very interesting and an original place to stage a Hollywood shootout. The story from start to finish is solid and easy to follow. There were no huge plot twists, however the character resolutions have their complexities and the finale is a little peculiar, but still gratifying and complete.
Clive Owen gives a wonderful and believable performance as a man over the edge and determined to expose the truth of this cloak and dagger organization. Naomi Watts does a good job as a supporting character and doesn't get in the way of the story, but she amplifies it when necessary.
I greatly enjoyed this movie. I skipped seeing it at the theater because it looked a little long, but after watching it on DVD my worries that the plot would be thin were put to rest. The story keeps the flow going and the audience interested the whole time.
The International
posted on 31 Aug 2009I saw "The Inernational" In February when at that time of the year is the time for the trow away movies, but this is not. This is a great thriller and the scene in the Musucum is one of the best shot out ever put on film.
I am a avid fan of Clive Owen and I hope he contiunes in this vain. I am going to get the movie when it becomes available on June 9, 2009.
Not A Bad Film
posted on 31 Aug 2009The International will appeal to those who like plot driven films. The basic premise is that of an interpol agent who's frustrated by the lack of autonomy in delivering justice and trapped in a world of corporate corruption - well, he doesn't quite turn Clint Eastwood if that's the movie you're looking for.
Still the International makes for a fascinating enough experience. I enjoyed this (and I am neither a Clive Owen and Naomi Watts fan) because I wanted to see how it would play out. Would the big bad bank win? Would Clive exact revenge? etc - There were many possible scenarios that this could have played out - and it's only fault perhaps is not deepening the suspense enough and going the Film Noir route, although all the ingredients of a thriller are certainly present. At least it tries to be more unique than some other movies. For that, I give it an A for effort and B+ for execution.
Timing has been a good factor for the film as mentioned - since corporate greed is on the loose, and banks it seems are bankrupting the world...this is not a deep treatise on that sort of thing, but it certainly resonates with the audience!
I'm hoping that the DVD will have extended scenes, which will possibly heighten the intrigue...this is a movie that could have snaked a little bit more and kept us gripped to our seats. Obviously it didn't work for everyone, but as long as you buy that banks are the bad guys...then you'll be fine. Otherwise, go check out North by Northwest with Cary Grant!
The International is all about Timing
posted on 31 Aug 2009The International
Timing is everything, and this one truth just might be a saving grace for The International. The theme of the film: corruption of bank and government officials, correlates with the growing scrutiny of financial institutions.
Taking a page or two from the local papers, The International, released February 13, 2009, explores the crumbling empire and corrupt enterprises of banking on a global scale. Its focus, the International Bank of Business and Credit (IBBC) has even more devastating investments than Wall Street. Rather than simply over-extending consumers and undermining their livelihood, the IBBC is funding terrorism.
When consulting with General Charles Motomba (Lucian Msamati), leader of a liberation movement in Liberia, the IBBC assures the General that their limited financial means will not inhibit their ability to attain weapons and ammunition because, "Money is not this institution's primary medium of exchange." It appears the IBBC is more interested in facilitating the spread of terrorism, war and death than money. Jonas Skarssen (Ulrich Thomsen) is a member of the board of the IBBC and his personal motto helps keep the bank unstoppable in its endeavors. He believes "if there is no way out, the best thing to do is to find a way further in."
Fueling feelings of distrust in the banking industry, The International follows Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) of Interpol as he collaborates with Manhattan's Assistant District Attorney, Eleanor Whitaker (Naomi Watts), in a slow, methodical effort to take down the corrupt financial enterprise that is the IBBC. Clive Owen plays the role of Agent Salinger as an unfeeling, autonomous agent whose superiors are impotent in restraining him. Commissioner Villon (Laurent Spielvogel) pretends to end Agent Salinger's investigation into the IBBC and leash him to his desk.
Regardless of his superior's irritation, Salinger travels abroad and within New York to apprehend a suspect that will lead to the IBBC's undoing. The International takes a budgeted, methodical look at international policing while avoiding scenes of intense action. Instead, The International allocates its budget to one beautifully devastating attack on a recreation of the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The delicate, graceful structure of the museum is shattered as the Guggenheim is eviscerated of every essence of art and culture.
The lack of action outside of this scene saves Clive Owen from feigning emotion with each death, since he fails so bitterly to appear interested, or even aware, when a car in Berlin strikes A.D.A. Eleanor Whitaker. How might one convey a growing body count with minimal action, especially when contact with Agent Salinger precipitates death? Director Tom Tykwer relays each death using newspaper articles and police reports, each orated by the dry, embittered voice of Agent Salinger.
The way in which the cinematography is fragmented allows Agent Salinger to be present without allowing analysis of his acting. Throughout the film, choppy editing makes The International uncomfortable to watch. Even conversations are awkward because tight shots of the speaker's and listener's faces alternate. Rather than combining both actors in the same visual field, the audience is forced to play a mental tennis match between subjects. The use of wide shots to establish location were very limited, often making Salinger the focus instead of the gloomy landscapes of Britain, Berlin, Luxembourg, and New York.
Unity for this film exists in one primary element which is often overlooked: the music. The music director did not score periods of the film in which the actors are speaking. The original score is very metronomic, featuring a rhythmic score composed primarily of drum beats and percussion for the first 45 minutes that transitions into recognizable tension-building techniques that use piano and violin in short, repetitive score sections. Not having to compete to hear the dialogue is always nice, but in The International it simply failed to distract from the uncomfortable phrasing spoken by the authors.
Clive Owen is responsible for many of the disjointed lines spoken. Perhaps someone should inform the writer, Eric Singer, that interrupting phrases and clauses with "which" and "what" does not make the dialogue British. Clive Owen takes this opportunity as Agent Salinger to stumble over dialogue, including, "We cannot control what life happens to us." "Sometimes the hardest thing to know in life is which bridge to cross and which bridge to burn" can also be accredited to Owen as uncomfortably spoken, but memorable.
Flaws considered, this slow-moving "thriller" builds a case against the IBBC that could strike terror into the hearts of its audience if only that metronomic beat weren't keeping tickers at a steady rhythm. The film definitely places a focus on timing; perhaps Tykwer knew that the films relevance would be its only chance for redemption.
-0-
What was this?
posted on 31 Aug 2009This was possibly one of the most boring movies that I've ever seen. There were a whole lot of loose ends and no clear bad guys. I'd give a Short Attention Span Summary, but this would be hard to do for two reasons: 1) It was all I could do to stay awake through a first viewing of the movie; 2) It would take a second viewing to try to put together all the convoluted chracters, and I just don't have any masochistic tendencies.
What else? The cinematography was pretty decent, and the acting was also believable. But the movie overall just didn't have enough well directed plot to keep anyone interested.
Save your money-- even if this movie shows up on the dollar shelf (where it should be a week or two from now).
Sometimes you find your destiny on the road you took to avoid it.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):
1. Clive Owen plays a grungy Interpol agent trying to bring down an unscrupulous bank, but keeps running into dead ends - literally.
2. Naomi Watts barely registers as an Assistant District Attorney who also wants to bring the offending bank to justice.
3. If you're looking for nookie, skip this one altogether
4. Stunning visual tour of the architecture of Berlin, Milan, the Guggenheim Museum in New York and the rooftops of Istanbul is interrupted by a silly plot about a crooked bank.
5. They should have stuck to the architecture
This is a forgettable movie despite the casting of Owen and Watts, with a plot that meanders all over the place to prove that nothing ever changes when it comes to the lust for power.
Amanda Richards, April 13, 2009
Average Conspiracy Thriller with One Very Good Action Scene
posted on 31 Aug 2009"The International" is Tom Tykwer's follow-up to his very unconventional film "Perfume," but his latest work is a rather conventional thriller starring Clive Owen as Louis Salinger, an Interpol agent trying to doggedly uncover dastardly deeds of one huge international bank. However, the film's immediate (and timely) subject matter of world-wide financing is just an excuse for a few action scenes and a cat-and-mouse game that goes on too long.
Thankfully, actions are more than satisfactory, but the film's intriguing premise is undermined by the convoluted story that gets more and more preposterous as it goes on. In "The International" a death in Berlin leads Clive Owen's determined protagonist, formerly working for Scotland Yard, to the conspiracy theory of the bank officials of a Luxemburg-based international bank. While he is supported by New York's assistant district attorney played by Naomi Watts, his investigation is often frustrated by authorities and powerful vested interest groups.
Despite its all-too-familiar plot device in thriller - assassins are hired and wires are tapped - "The International" has two merits. One is the locations (particularly a beautiful vista of Istanbul). The other is the action sequence set inside Guggenheim Museum (actually a replica built in Berlin).
Clive Owen's intense acting itself is not bad, but we are not convinced why he should go to the length of doing what he does (as one character in the film says, Interpol's job does not include investigating or arresting). Naomi Watts is less impressive than Owen not because of her acting skills but the underwritten role she plays. Certainly her character provides the cooler, more rational side of justice, which is, however, overshadowed by the effective (but loud) shoot-outs.
Considering the topic the film is dealing with, it is understandable that "The International" becomes at times slow and talky, but what it reveals after all, especially in the second half, is nothing new, except some lessons about the relation between power and money, or, banks and foreign countries. What you will remember after watching "The International" is not that part, not the problems of modern finance, but bullets and blood.
flodie652
posted on 31 Aug 2009I also saw this movie and it was VERY GREAT!!! I must admit i am an avid fan of Clive Owen, but i also wouldn't lie if this or any other movie he was featured in was bad! This movie is great and i intend to purchase it on blu ray as soon as it comes out. You won't waste your money on this film, beleive me, it deals with what is accuring now in our own country and the world!! I rate it FIVE STARS or better!!!!
The International Is A Crisp, Involving Thriller
posted on 31 Aug 2009"The International" is a socio-political thriller that seems very prescient coming at a time when so many banks are failing and the world seems even more of a precarious place than usual. This film about an investigation of a bank's shady dealings seems more and more like a possibility given that nowadays, legal business dealings might not afford as much of a profit.
The film stars Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, who play, respectively, an Interpol agent and a NY City Assistant DA, who are investigating the IBBC, an international bank suspected of being involved in illegal arms deals. The bank works quickly to silence any opposition or any employee who tries to inform of the bank's activities. Owen and Watts find themselves thwarted at every turn, until the likelihood of bringing the bank to justice becomes bleaker and bleaker.
Owen smolders as only he can as an angry, hard-nosed cop who dogged pursuit of the IBBC has already cost him his job as a cop with Scotland Yard, and one would imagine, a whole lot more. Watts maintains steadiness and aplomb as she puts her life and career in jeopardy to work with Owen. Fine supporting performance by Armin Mueller-Stahl as one of the bank's principals and Brian F. O'Byrne as The Consultant, the bank's assassin round out the film, which has a spectacular set-piece shootout at the Guggenheim Museum.
Fans looking for a constant rock 'em, sock 'em action thriller like the Bourne movies may be disappointed with The International, but it is a paranoid, sharply plotted film that has interesting characters and a great story.
It's All About the Guggenheim
posted on 31 Aug 2009If I could judge a movie based on one scene, The International might have a chance. For two hours of unbearable dialogue and spotty storytelling The International has a single bright spot to make it worthy of recommendation. The thing is, it's a powerfully, overwhelmingly bright spot that lasts for about 12 minutes and makes me wonder--despite the horrible things I'm about to say about the rest of the film--if I should tell you to go see it.
First, the bad. Clive Owen can act. Whether he's taking on a serious film like Children of Men or Closer or he's having fun in worthless crap like Shoot `Em Up, the man can act. There's no two ways around it. The same is true of his The International co-star Naomi Watts. A brilliant actress when she wants to be, Naomi has given performances that at times stood out as the best of their year. In The International, both parties shelve all of their apparent talent in favor of blandness as far as the eye can see. Ironically, it's the film's villains played by aged Armin Mueller-Stahl and "consultant" Brian F. O'Byrne who keep the film afloat.
Louis Salinger (Owen) has chased the same ghost for years. Every time he gets close to shutting down the IBBC, a bank with strong suspected ties to terrorists, the rug gets pulled from beneath his investigation. Sometimes key witnesses die in car crashes. Sometimes administrative bigwigs close his case. Either way, the story of Louis Salinger makes you think it must suck to be an Interpol agent.
When a key witness in the upper levels of the IBBC comes forward, ready to testify, Louis and his partner jump at the chance. Moments after the first clandestine rendezvous, Louis' partner drops dead in the street leaving Louis to answer all the questions: was it murder, who did it and why. To compound matters, a string of assassinations comes to a head when a respectable Italian politician is assassinated with the entire world watching. Is the IBBC involved? How do they benefit? To The International's credit, there are enough strings being pulled and enough plotline to keep things interesting. The failure isn't in content--it's in execution.
Naomi Watts fills in as the New York liaison for Louis' investigation and serves as little more than eye candy and a convenient tool to get Louis from one conflict to the next. Beyond that she's about as deep a character as one of those extra cops in a crime movie. Oh wait, that's pretty much her role. Yeah, they give her a nameless husband and child to show she's a slight workaholic, but beyond that there's no real exploration of her character. For all intents and purposes though, that's okay, as the main player is Louis.
Following the assassinations back to their perpetrator leads Louis to the best scene in the film: the Guggenheim Museum shoot-out. First off, the Museum is structurally beautiful with ramps connecting all the levels and gigantic hanging screens showing clips of random films. When the shoot-out begins you have no idea what you're in for--it just keeps escalating into a truly monumental and beautiful shoot-out for the ages. Honestly, it's this scene that puts me on the edge as to whether or not I recommend this to anyone but the most hardcore of action buffs.
Considering a plot about an evil bank seems about the most appropriate possible story in this age of foreclosures and bail-outs, the expectations beyond that were quite low--and yet Director Tom Tykwer (Run, Lola, Run) still manages to turn it sour. He abandoned the kinetic frenzy of Run, Lola, Run for a slow plodding pace that only manages to pick up at the Guggenheim and the very end. Even if Tykwer doesn't cheapen the film with a lousy happy ending, it feels just as sleazy considering all the shortcuts and unexplained coincidences that wrap it all up.
I'm less annoyed with the film's total faults and more with the fact that a phenomenal shoot-out scene feels wasted sandwiched between two hour-long halves of crap. It seems almost criminal, and until the Guggenheim scene, my mind had already come up with ten ways to pan the film--but that changed everything.
I've given you all I can here. You need to decide how much you value a Bourne-saga worthy shoot-out scene in one of the coolest museums in the world. If that sounds worthwhile then do it. Otherwise wait for the rental.
Solid work from Clive Owen, one great gunfight...and everything else is ho-hum.
posted on 31 Aug 2009THE INTERNATIONAL is a film that wants to be two kinds of movies at once, and somewhat drops the ball on being either very effectively.
This tells the story of an effort by law enforcement officials to bring down The International Bank of Business & Commerce, the IBBC. This bank, we're told right from the start, is involved in weapons trading and many shady deals involving violent overthrows of governments and so forth. They don't really make money off the arms dealing, they make money handling the debt of the newly emerging governments. They are a ruthless bunch, operating like a shadowy intelligence agency...assassinating those who stand in the way, bribing others. There is no way to bring them to justice, it would seem, because they have their fingers in every pie, and will kill anyone who might get in their way.
So first, THE INTERNATIONAL wants to be an "intelligent" thriller, with lots of suspense generated by the political and economic machinations of men in business suits talking in hushed tones. We see the good guys and the bad guys both discussing with each other the ramifications of one course of action or another. There is lots of globetrotting, with scenes in Luxembourg, France, Italy, the US & Turkey. These scenes are only moderately interesting, because in the end, the schemes of the bank are only drawn out in the most simplistic terms (the movie wants us to FEEL that everything is richly detailed and complicated, but it really isn't). AND, most importantly, the actions of the bank don't really feel entirely credible. Not that a financial institution wouldn't align itself with some really bad guys...but the whole thing really just feels like a half-baked Roger Moore-era James Bond kind of plot.
The other half of the movie wants to be an action thriller of the BOURNE ilk. But the action and gunplay and forensic police work is mostly quite staid and uninspired. With one notable exception. There is a fabulously elaborate, visceral and exciting gun battle set in the Guggenheim Museum in NYC. Naturally, it relies on the old standby that all bad guys are terrible shots and good guys seldom miss...but it's a thrilling, old-fashioned sequence that makes the rest of the movie almost worthwhile.
Also worthwhile is the always solid presence of Clive Owen. Here's a guy who can really act, when given the chance. He can be charming, he can be soulless...but he's seldom boring (and he's always vaguely half-shaved...talk about swarthy). Yet true stardom has eluded him, because the truly best material doesn't go his way...or when something flat-out brilliant like CHILDREN OF MEN lands on his lap, no one goes to see it. Owen is the right man for THE INTERNATIONAL, though. He's capable of handling the talky dialogue. He seems vaguely impatient with all the chatter and politics, and just wants to get on with taking some people DOWN. And when the action does kick in, he's not just an impervious gunslinger...we see real fear and real hurt. We believe that he is a hero who COULD get killed. He brings a humanity to the most "Hollywood" of scenes and he brings movie star glamour to the most mundane of scenes. It's an interesting dichotomy.
Owen is the star of the film...no question. He is in nearly every scene, and director Tom Tykwer likes to give us lots of close-ups. But Owen is assisted by a sold supporting cast, including the always welcome Naomi Watts. Her role is seriously underwritten and probably could have been handled by anyone...but it's nice to see her anyway. The silky-voiced, menacing Armin Muehler-Stahl also shows up as one of the head honchos from the bank. This guy has THAT character down pat, and he's also always welcome.
Tykwer can be a great director (RUN LOLA RUN is a propulsive film in the best possible way)...and the gunfight shows where his true talents lie. He doesn't bring much zest to the talkier scenes, and I hope someone notices this and gives him a more action-packed thriller to helm.
Overall, I enjoyed THE INTERNATIONAL, but for most of its 118 minutes, I was quite aware that what I was seeing was not going to leave much of an impression. It's a solid but seldom exciting movie. It wants to think it has captured the flavor of our times, but it isn't rooted enough in believability. If you like Clive Owen, I'd say it's worth a look. If you're not a particular fan...then there's very little reason to spend time on it. It's a near miss.
Unbelievably Boring! Please, Watch Something Else!! ANYTHING Else!!!
posted on 31 Aug 2009I'm uncharacteristically at a loss for words. The only thing relevant I can think to say about The International is that I'm astounded by how mind-numbingly boring it was. And I'm a fair reviewer with a wide attention-span. As awesome of an actor as Clive Owen is, even he can't save this one. I literally couldn't believe how boring and uninteresting this piece of glossy espionage dreck was. I honestly and seriously believe I would have gotten more enjoyment and entertainment value from watching C-SPAN, if you can believe that. That's not a joke, either. I earnestly don't think I've ever seen a movie so utterly devoid of humor, fun or personality. Oh well, you know how they say that Friday the 13th is unlucky. Looks like that belief certainly proved to be true with me with this abjectly unenjoyable film. I'll chalk this one up to experience to never again believe that movie is going to be good based on its trailer. Please, I implore you to save your valuable money and go see something else. ANYTHING else. Honestly, I wanted The International to succeed. I want Clive Owen to succeed. I just want him to be in a better movie.
The International Movie Review from The Massie Twins
posted on 31 Aug 2009Beginning like an episode of CSI, transitioning into the espionage action of 24, and closing like a Grand Theft Auto mission, The International doesn't fail to entertain - it just doesn't offer us anything we haven't seen before. Clive Owen gets another chance at being Bond and admirably handles the weathered protagonist as well as a few intense action sequences, most notably the stunning Guggenheim shootout. As with most modest thrillers, the hero only gets to be heroic for so long and then succumbs to the limitations of traditional nobility, adhering to what is acceptable conduct for the "good guy". The International teases us with the possibilities of rebellion, but when it can't bring itself to follow through, the audience is left slightly betrayed knowing justice doesn't win to the degree that it could have.
Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) tirelessly strives to bring down the International Bank of Business and Credit, a ruthless corporation he knows is funding terrorism and war. With the aid of Assistant DA Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), Salinger uncovers the clues he needs to find a reliable informant, but as he draws closer to cornering his prey he witnesses firsthand the tragic collateral damage caused from confronting such a powerful juggernaut. As the death toll rises, Salinger must determine the price he is willing to pay to continue in his chaotic mission of justice.
Back and forth between Germany, France, Italy, New York and more, The International treats audiences to action and intrigue in some amazing locales. The most impressive sequence takes place in the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan, involving the most unlikely ambush, machinegun shootout and bloody getaway. The setup for location-hopping and international espionage makes this feel like James Bond, except there isn't quite enough action, the pacing is a little slow, and the first act is reminiscent of a CSI episode. That's not entirely a bad thing - although the film doesn't know what it wants to be, the constant chases, high-speed pursuits and thrill of the hunt is enough to keep things generally amusing.
Protocol, procedure and jurisdiction always get in the way of justice. No one can handle the truth because of the immense responsibilities; stepping out of the boundaries of the law is crucial to success, and no real solutions can ever change the overwhelming corruption that seizes each aspect of every government. This isn't a new premise for Hollywood, and The International isn't relying on huge twists or extreme creativity to separate it from the commonplace action films opening on a regular basis. Audiences aren't likely to get the resolution or confirmation they're looking for by the end of this confused thriller, but as far as anyone should be concerned, the inconclusive toxin results, edited police statements, cover-ups and assassinations are no match for Clive Owen's powerful stare. It's all he ever brings to a gun-toting engagement, and it usually suffices.
- The Massie Twins
Visually stunning, Dramatically flat
posted on 31 Aug 2009"The International" allegedly stars Clive Owen and Naomi Watts. That's a falsehood. It really stars the architecture of France, Luxembourg and Germany. The two leads have no chemistry, and the banks-as-arms-merchants is tough to swallow. Owen is a disgraced Interpol agent, Watts is NY CIA. I kept thinking that a massive arms shifting plot would have brought in more than just two somewhat hapless agents, but they are the pair that keep throwing themselves at this conspiracy with no back-up. "The International" wanted to be a smart thriller, but then it throws in an incredible shoot-out at the Guggenheim Museum. Looks great, but the "you're kidding, right?" reflex kicks in. Smart looking does not a smart movie make. Sadly enough, this film is saved from total failure only by the visual aspect....but is that really why you'd want to watch a thriller?
Disappointing final product
posted on 31 Aug 2009This movie just doesn't deliver on its potential. Chemistry and characterizations are lacking. Background of characters is missing to make you care about these people. Naomi Watts, normally one of my favorite actors, was wooden and one-dimensional. The whole storyline was rather commonplace and uninspiring.