Author: Wyatt Sanderman Day | Published: June 19th, 2009

    
A Law Enforement Officer with a Conscience Finds Himself as an Outsider

    The complexity of international intrigue, in regards to the funding the some truly bad people, has the intermittent light of truth shown upon it, and nearly all remain blind to the evil. Louis Salinger, played with exuberant intensity by Clive Owen, is a man of principles and has the moral fortitude to stand toe to toe with the International Bank, IBBC, which will stop at nothing to further their ambitions in meddling in unstable nations, with ancillary, ruthless governments waiting to swoop in like vultures at any opportune moment of weakness.

    Louis Salinger, a former member of Scotland Yard and now with Interpol, is willing to play outside of the rules if he must, he just would rather not. The one thing that seems to energize Louis well beyond the playbook is his friends, and potential suspects both are winding up dead. Louis knows who the culprits are, he just get to them as they are well protected by the IBBC.

    Louis's determined interdiction of these homicidal high financiers is the theme of this high intensity action film that may have a more realistic plotline than we realize. Clive Owens's intense portrayal of the highly motivated protagonist is what makes this picture work. Naomi Watts does her usual good turn in her smaller role as Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, Eleanor Whitman, who is committed to the prosecution of the antagonists within the IBBC, providing if Louis can find them and arrest them. That of course is the hard rub. These murdering financiers are protected by many governments as well as many of the leading intelligence agencies; however, that is about to change.

    Louis's passion and commitment is infectious gaining him help in sectors where he would have not had that help earlier. He is putting the pieces together and with the help of captured IBBC's head of security, Wilhelm Wexler, played by German Armin Mueller - Stahl, who, as an old man disillusioned by the activities of the ruthless IBBC, is turned by the well placed words of the committed Louis Salinger, helps to sabotage the power grab of this evil cooperative of greedy men.

    The film is believable and smartly written by screenwriter Eric Singer. The action is brisk, as planned by Director Tom Tykwer, and not overly gratuitous, except, maybe, the outstanding shootout at the Guggenheim in Manhattan, which is not such a bad idea. Once you see the bullet shredded destruction of many of the movie mocks of the "artwork," you may join me in my opinion: Good shooting boys.

    "The International" is 118 minutes of runtime, and a good time around the flat screen if you enjoy smart action pictures. I certainly do, especially if they do not insult my intelligence. "The International" is not made that way.

    Rated R. Released on DVD June 9, 2009.

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