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Best criminal suspense film of 2009 2010-07-08

Reviewer: Newton Ooi

Lots of crime movies come out of Hollywood every year. Many of them deal with secret agents gone awol, being betrayed, or doing something they shouldn't be. Many of these films are played out in the context of the Cold War, drug smuggling, the illegal arms trade, and other criminal activities. But the one thing they all share is that they do not even come close to alluding to real life events or people. Until now, with this 2009 release. The movie follows the ordeal of an Interpol agent and a US assistant district attorney in their investigation of an international bank called IBBC that is suspected of weapons dealing. The IBBC itself is ruled by a group of very wealthy individuals from numerous countries, and they are linked to political leaders around the world. For those in the know, the acronym IBBC is a strong allusion to the actual entity BCCI, a multinational bank staffed by well-connected individuals. The IBBC, like the real-life entity BCCI, uses its political connections to provide weapons to various countries. These countries then use the weapons to wage wars which put them into debt, debt to the IBBC. This theory is not new, and there are many history books examining the role of debt to the Rothschild banking empire in the European wars of the 1800s. The use of debt to control countries is also a common theme in modern history, with the IMF and WTO being the guilty culprits here. All of this information is revealed to the movie's protagonists over the course of the film. The movie also features some great gun-fight scenes and some good dialogue. Great movie overall.

One hundred words on a stylish, smart thriller 2010-07-06

Reviewer: Joseph P. Menta, Jr.

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.

A thoughtful thriller 2010-07-03

Reviewer: R. Kunath

A friend and I rented this with low expectations, and we were both very pleasantly surprised. This is a suave, cool, thoughtful thriller, but one that cuts against the grain of the usual action movie fare. If you're a Schwarzenegger fan, this movie isn't for you. But if you're a Hitchcock fan, I think you'll have some fun with _The International_. Just about all the comments note the exceptional visual design of the film, and it really is impressive. But Clive Owen is what makes this movie go, and his performance is excellent. Also generally excellent is the work of the supporting cast, with special kudos to the great actor Armin Mueller-Stahl. Naomi Watts' role is oddly ancillary, but I think that's a result of intelligent decisions made by the writer about the nature of her relationship with Owen (the scene where she and Owen talk during Owen's interrogation of Mueller-Stahl is excellent and reveals her real function in the film, I think). If you come to this film expecting the usual action movie roller coaster, you'll be disappointed. But what you get is actually better: an elegant blend of content and style.

Not Too Good!!! 2010-06-14

Reviewer: Pumpkin Man

This movie was very boring in some parts, and had some action and suspense in other parts. Some scenes were pretty confusing. Clive Owen stars as an agent named Louis Salinger, who tries to bring down a corrupt bank that funds terrorist activities. I probably wouldn't recommend THE INTERNATIONAL!!!

sometimes a man can meet his destiny . . . on the road he took to avoid it 2010-06-05

Reviewer: trebe

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.