Movie Review: Syriana
****

Kristina and I saw Syriana on the weekend. For those of you who don't know about the movie, it's a political thriller/conspiracy movie about the oil industry. It's made by the guy who made Traffic, and it's shot in the same multiple story lines converging sort of style. The movie is slow at times and you have to stay really sharp to understand the various story lines and characters.

The basic premise of the movie is that America's success and prosperity directly depends on maintaining political and social chaos in the Middle East. Also hinted at in the movie is the fact that America's prosperity comes at the expense of other country's (such as China) continued state of relative poverty. Behind it all are corrupt politicians, profit driven businessmen, and secret agents working behind the scenes to ensure the plot unfolds to America's benefit. The movie definitely makes you think about why the countries who provide America with oil are often so poor, and also how America's actions directly influence the formation of radical Islamic groups.

An interesting underlying theme throughout the whole movie (which I didn't catch at first) is how fathers abandon and/or ignore their sons in favour of pursuits that are ultimately meritless compared to the value of raising your child. If I watch the movie again, I'd watch it through this 'lens' to get a better sense of the filmmaker's message. Thanks to Hard 7.