Customer Reviews

The International

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

"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 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.

"The intenational" is a first-rate thriller that deals with a complex, dark and sinister issue: the sale of weapons as well as its obscure connection that involve literally every one of the threee pillars of the industrial society. Political, militar and economic. The bloody slaughter around the key personages around this complex web of sinsiter interests rekindled in our memory "The dogs of war".

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts seconded by the legendary actor Armin Muller Stahl (one of the top twenty best actors alive)lead the investigation. But every time they find a clue, the more narrow is their radio of action. Bureaucratic hindrances, wrought reports, unthinkable missings, questions without answers turn the investigation into a true puzzle of multiple angles.

Ambitious, absorbing and breathtaking thriller that will capture your whole attention from start to finish. Don't let trhis film passes in front of you without your consent. Watch it as soon as you can.

It's a must-see

Initially complicated and a little dry, "The International" ultimately develops into a fine, gripping thriller, especially for those who value intelligence and sharp direction. Director Tom Tykwer realizes that huge action scenes aren't the movie world's only source of thrills and suspense, preferring to tighten the screws on viewers via observation and character-based moments. As a result, the few action scenes on hand (most notably, a memorable sequence set in the Guggenheim Museum) have significant impact. The film looks and sounds amazing on standard DVD and there are a variety of fascinating extra features, as well as a commentary track.

Director Tom Tykwer's, The International (2009) is taut, complicated, suspense thriller, with lots of intrigue, atmosphere, and mystery, that occasionally explodes with violence, as the International Bank of Business and Credit (IBBC), a multinational financial organization, is suspected of being involved in various illegal activities including murder, weapons dealing, and conspiring to destabilize governments.

Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) is an Interpol agent, investigating IBBC. While in Berlin, an associate of Salinger's dies suddenly, causing Manhattan district attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), who is building the case against IBBC, to come to Berlin to head the investigation. Trying to get information about some kind of weapons deal, the pair eventually get a lead to Umberto Calvini (Luca Barbareschi) a candidate to be Italy's prime minister. Shortly after providing crucial information to the investigators, Calvini is assassinated while giving a speech in Milan. A shoe print provides the lead to the suspected assassin, who is now in New York City.

Working with the NYPD, Salinger hunts the IBBC's hitman known as the Consultant (Brian O'Byrne). They catches a break, and as their quarry is seen on the street, and followed to the Guggenheim Museum. The IBBC believes the Consultant must be eliminated, and a spectacular violent shootout takes place in the gallery. Wilhelm Wexler (Armin Mueller-Stahl), an associate with IBBC, is the key to drawing IBBC CEO Jonas Skarssen (Ulrich Thomsen) into a trap in Istanbul.

The International, is a complicated affair, where the many twists and turns, and the various players, makes matters a little difficult to keep track of. You really have to pay attention. It has kind of a cold, impersonal, businesslike tone, with Salinger being the steady driving force behind the action. Clive Owen (Shoot 'Em Up) is great in almost everything he does, and he gives a another solid performance, as the determined, but somewhat burnt out and paranoid, Salinger. The supporting cast is excellent as well. The film is well written, intelligent, moves at a quick pace, and seems mostly believable, under the direction of Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run). The shootout in the Guggenheim is an exception to the overall realism of the film, but it smartly executed, memorable, and packs a wallop.

Tykwer and writer Eric Singer provide an informative commentary track, and the DVD also contains a nice set of bonus featurettes and an extended deleted scene. The International is an intelligent, straightforward, low key thriller, that treats its audience with respect, and does not dumb things down.

I participated in the US Congressional investigation of The Bank of Credit and Commerce International (Luxembourg, Caymans, etc.) decades ago. It WAS like that, influence peddling BCCI DID have connections everywhere including the US Federal Reserve, prominent "populist" politicos such as Clark Clifford and Stuart Symington, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. As to the flick, it is visually stunning; morality play only partly follows the spy-story checklist (ie, the leads markedly DO NOT sleep with each other, one deleted scene shows maybe they could have but a phone call got in the way. DRAT. Yes, car chase and truly memorable shootout.) Much of the budget went to travel and set construction; effective reversals of motives cover up any continuity problems quite well as some of the bad guys seek instant redemption while others prosper no matter what. Easy to lose some cues as what is to come, maybe watching twice will clear up some things clearly based on supposedly unrelated Vatican Bank scandals (which you will remember from Godfather III.) Usual thousands of little people listed by name in end titles and non-melodic soundtrack chord modulations with drum-taps work effectively here.

Excellent cast.With numerous military actions throughout the world this movie gives meaning to it all.Impossible to pass the Guggenheim Museum again without reliving this movie.

The main character of this movie really is the architecture. It imposes itself into the story making the main actors little more than pawns to be moved between fantastically futuristic looking buildings.
The budget to shoot this movie in such locations as the Volkswagon HQ/"theme" park in Wolfsburg, Germany, to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, via Berlin, New York City and Milan must have been blown on flights. I won't give anything away but the Guggenheim scene is unreal but watch the extras on how they did it is even more mindblowing.

Having said all that the acting is terrific from Clive Owen's world weary intensity to Naomi Watts' single mindedness and, unlike mail-it-in Hollywood movies, they don't end up in bed together which makes their working realtionship seem far more real.

The bad guys all seem like fairly normal family men which makes them all the more evil.

The movie sort of falls down a tad on the plot as you wonder how a large bank (it's loosely based on the real BCCI banking scandal) is brought down by just two people. Seems quite implausible no matter how good Watts and Owen are in portraying their roles.

The DVD is worth getting as the extras offer a tour of the architectural delights, the whole Guggenheim scene explained and a 30-min behind-the-scenes makin of as well as the usual commentary track.

This is a detective film; following the trail of the bad-guys; not an action film or thriller. Though a number of people get killed from the start, throughout the film, and in the end; and there is a long, good, action-scene in the middle.

There is plenty of cleverness all along for the thinking person. The film is subtly gripping. You have to put out some effort to follow along. I had to back-up the DVD once in the beginning; to answer the question, "Was anyone near the victim between his exiting the car, and walking up to Clive Owen?"

Filmed on location in: Berlin & Wolfsburg, Germany; Milan & Lake Garda, Italy; Lyon, France; Istanbul, Turkey, and New York.

The "R"-rating is for people being shot, and a little unnecessary swearing. There is no sex or nudity in this film.

Clive Owen and Naomi Watts hedline this international thriller.

I first watched this film several months ago. Maybe I wasn't paying that close attention or I wasn't in the mood for this kind of thriller the first time I watched it, but if I had writted my review then I would most likely have given it three stars. This time, though, I payed much closer attention to the storyline, the plot development, and overlapping themes, and now I think this film is definitely worth four stars. It will probably never be a 5-star selection, but I really liked it.

Like any good thriller THE INTERNATIONAL gets started right off...someone dies, somewhat mysteriously, within the first 5-10 mins, and you are hooked as you try to figure out who died, how it happened, and who would benefit from that death if it was due to foul play. Get ready for conspiracy and corruption to come screaming at you.

Clive Owen plays a former member of Scotland Yard, but who now works for INTERPOL. Naomi Watts plays an Asst District Attorney in NYC, and they are collaborating on a case where a large multi-national bank appears to be engaged in the purchase of large amounts of high-tech military equipment. Why? That's the whole story.

So, lest you think that this is just a cerebral exercise in following a trail, the action movie fans out there will be pleased to know that there is a good dose of gunfire, but there aren't really any high speed chase scenes...oh well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film the 2nd time, and, as I mentioned above, much more than the first time around. I didn't even have to wait until the old "third time's the charm" to increase my viewing pleasure with this film. There was, after all, quite a bit I missed the first time around.

So, all in all, I now think that this is a strong 4-star offering.