The International

Later today at 6pm on Eastside 89.7 FMs Cinemascape show I’ll be reviewing Tom Tykwer’s new Hollywood thriller The International. Starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts; the film attempts to fuse the 70s Political thriller and the director’s hyper kinetic style he developed on his breakthrough feature Run Lola Run. A timely condemnation of the banking system and how far the huge corporations will go to make money, this intriguing plotting device takes Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Watts) on a whirlwind trip around the globe, stopping of in Berlin, Madrid, Istanbul and NYC and the film’s use of locations assures the film is always visually arresting. In fact, despite the potential boredom of number crunching and banking procedures, when the film works, as in a sensational shoot out in New Yorks Guggenheim, it’s breathtaking. When it doesn’t, however, it falls father flat. The two leads try hard but are not given much to work with. Owen has played the dishevelled everyman fighting for the truth one too many times now and Watts character is given nothing to do except follow Owen’s lead. Saying that the actors are always watchable and there is enough going on to elevate The International above your standard Hollywood thriller, it’s just a shame that more of Tykwer’s Euro aesthetic didn’t shine through. For more of my thoughts tune in this evening.