Movie Review: "The International" (2009)This quality thriller directed by Berlin-based director Tom Tykwer, known for "Run Lola Run" (1998) and directing Cate Blanchett to exceptional single beat strikes in "Heaven" (2002), who then gets his international treat from Columbia Pictures with premium company "The Dark Knight" (2008) responsibel Charles Roven producing, with a fair world premiere at "The Berlinale" in February 2009 under festival director Dieter Kosslick, attracting the stars to out into the cold, when "The International" even shot with high-glossy aesthetics in a spectre-demanding as controversial original script on a malpratice global-playing bank, controlling the civil-war-related debt of third-world arms trades coming from the author, responsible four-years later for "American Hustle" directed by David O. Russell, when long-time colloborating cinematographer Frank Griebe delivers with his entrusted director friend suspense, wits of convictions-striking leads with Clive Owen & Noami Watts as Interpol investigating agents to two major action scene, one all-too-famous shoot-out with full-automatic "MAC-10s" and nemesis roof-top stand-off over Instanbul's central market place, in reminiscene of a three-year later produced chase opening of "007: Skyfall", between Clive Owen and no-matchmaking because to undermining beat work of unless talented actor Ulrich Thomsen as "The International" concludes with strong single scene work but no nerve-striking casualness of wishing personally for gut-mingling finish as the premise shot of Academy-Award-winning "Best Picture" of 1971 "The French Connection".© 2018 Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC

Are bankers the new Nazis for the 21st Century? I only ask because the faceless, shadowy corporations they work for seem to crop up in an inordinate number of thrillers, making bankers the pin-striped version of Nazi soldiers. Only with a briefcase instead of a machine-gun. Nevertheless, they are still not to be trusted - the financial crash of 2008 made sure people wouldn't forget that in a hurry. It's little things like this that make "The International" an enjoyable watch because what might have seemed implausible before is now suddenly very real. This classy thriller is a little different to the sort of material director Tom Tykwer is drawn to and is actually very well shot indeed. Its globe-trotting location shoots and intense soundtrack make it feel like an old-fashioned spy thriller but hidden within is arguably one of the best shoot-outs I've seen since the famous Lobby scene from "The Matrix".Interpol agent Salinger (Clive Owen, looking like he's just woken up in someone else's bed) has been investigating suspicious dealings at the International Bank of Business & Credit for over two years. Just as a lead appears, his partner is possibly murdered and the lead disappears. Working alongside Manhattan Assistant DA Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), Salinger believes that the IBBC is responsible for a high number of arms deals to rogue nations, money laundering and terrorist funding but is unable to gather enough evidence. After an Italian arms manufacturer and presidential candidate (Luca Barbareschi) is assassinated by a contract killer (Brían F. O'Byrne) working for the IBBC, Salinger and Whitman follow him to New York. Can they successfully bring him in or will the IBBC get to them first?If one ignores the subtext about killing all the bankers, "The International" is a first-rate thriller that has both the intellect and firepower to really entertain. For the most part, it's a slow-burning conspiracy film that doesn't do Owen or Watts many favours - neither imbue their characters with much personality. The only things that liven the pace up are occasional chase sequences (Tykwer was responsible for the excellent "Run, Lola, Run" way back when) and brief moments of intrigue. It's as though Tykwer was saving all his energies for the shoot-out at the Guggenheim gallery which is a magnificent piece of action cinema, one of the best. Noisy, brutal and beautifully shot, it makes a mockery of most recent action films with much bigger budgets. But all too soon, it goes back to the story although you just want more gun play. The film's sentiments that the world is governed by organisations investing our money in political upheaval with nothing we can do about it is rammed home in a manner reminiscent of a Michael Moore documentary so it's a shame that Owen and Watts couldn't make me care more. What we're seeing here, I suspect, is the reason Daniel Craig was chosen to be 007 rather than Owen.I'm a little annoyed because I feel that "The International" could have been much better. It's a rare thriller that never patronises the viewer and treats them to a positively electric action sequence. It's also remarkably topical and beautifully shot - characters are dwarfed by the vast urban landscapes and cold, sterile buildings they enter. But it lacks a couple of things, namely a more engaging lead duo and a more urgent pace to the editing. Despite the action, it feels a lot slower compared to something like "The Bourne Identity" which was fast, frenetic and jam-packed with blistering action. "The International" manages intrigue by the bucket-load and just the one brilliant action scene. But it can't quite bring it all together - I still had questions at the end and personally, I hate it when that happens. The ending also felt an anti-climax although the film utilises the same rooftops of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul that Sam Mendes did in "Skyfall" and sadly, I saw that film first. I so want to score it higher than I have but I just can't. It's a great little thriller that captivates as well as it entertains and if you can forgive the faults then you'll enjoy it too.

Interpol Agent Louis Salinger is investigating the International Bank of Business and Credit; outwardly it appears that the IBBC is just another world bank but Salinger is convinced that it is involved in supplying weapons to terrorists and rogue states. It isn't a safe investigation either; anybody who gets close to exposing what is going on quickly turns up dead. He is joined by Eleanor Whitman, an assistant district attorney from New York as the case moves from Berlin to Milan then, after a politician is murdered, back to New York where Salinger must survive a gun fight in the Guggenheim Museum. He learns that the bank's latest operation is to sell upgraded Chinese missiles to Iran… if he can prevent the deal he might just bring about the collapse of the bank but he only has a limited amount of time and must be willing to break the rules.This was a pretty solid thriller with plenty of action and some great locations… including going to the rooftops of Istanbul long before the James Bond film 'Skyfall' went there. The action was varied and exciting; the most notable moment being the shootout in the Guggenheim; a tense and memorable scene in a surprising location. Clive Owen did a fine job as Salinger and Naomi Watts was good as Whitman; although I was surprised that her character wasn't more involved in the story. Director Tom Tykwer does a good job keeping the action and plot moving… keeping this viewer gripped from start to finish. If there was a weakness it was the villains; for the most part they were just greedy men in suits without the expected menace one has come to expect in films like this… If you want a solid action thriller you could do a lot worse than this; I'd certainly recommend it.

It took a second watching for me to appreciate this smart, underrated thriller.In fact, going into it the second time, I knew I'd seen it a couple of years ago, but I couldn't remember any of the details. This is usually the mark of an mediocre movie. In this case, it was simply because I hadn't understood it well enough the first time around.This is a movie you need to fully understand in order to appreciate. And unless you catch all of the dialogue (or at least as much of it as possible) you're not going to fully understand it. Rewind helps! The International must've been Clive Owen's attempt to get his career back on track after the God-awful (and I truly mean God-awful) Shoot 'Em Up in 2007. Miraculously, this movie has more or less restored my faith in Clive.Clive Owen is an agent seeking justice against a criminal enterprise: The International Bank of Business & Credit, or IBBC. This, of course, is a veiled reference to the BCCI (Bank of Credit and Commerce International), which went defunct in 1991 after being raided for money laundering and other financial crimes. It seems likely that the movie was partly inspired by this bank, which was referred to as "Bunch of Conmen and Crooks International." The BCCI was once the 7th largest private bank in the world; the IBBC is referred to in the movie as being the 5th largest private bank in the world.As you might guess, Owen's investigation is not entirely straightforward. I make it a practice not to include spoilers in my reviews, so you'll have to watch the movie to find out more. Once again, the key is hearing all the dialogue and understanding the plot.7 out of 10.