With the international community's attention firmly shifted to the Middle East in the last decade, what with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's only natural that Hollywood's focus would shift too.
It's not a shift that should be derided by movie-goers though, as it has brought us such gems as 'Body of Lies', 'The Kingdom' and the masterful 'Syriana'. (For the sake of this review, we'll ignore Adam Sandler’s crotch-preoccupied 'You Don't Mess With The Zohan' though.)


In the company of these big-name productions, which managed to explore the themes of terrorism while lifting America's skirt just a little (albeit in a typical Hollywood fashion), it can be difficult for an independent movie to crack the skull of Mr Public for attention.

Reportedly shot for a mere $20-million, 'Traitor' initially moves so quickly from one scene to the next you'd be forgiven for fearing that it's going to be just another amateur attempt at a subject that should be treated with respect.

But due in large part to an inspiring performance by Don Cheadle ('Ocean's 11', 'Hotel Rwanda') and the remarkably firm directing hand of the relatively inexperienced Jeffrey Nachmanoff (best known for his 'The Day After Tomorrow' screenplay), it quickly becomes quite clear that 'Traitor' is a confident and, more importantly, highly competent movie.

Former US Army Special Forces explosives expert, Samir Horn (Cheadle), comes to the FBI's attention following a series of terrorist bombings. With two FBI agents (Guy Pearce from 'Memento' and Neal McDonough from 'Band of Brothers') hot on his heels, Horn is befriended by an Islamic extremist group and together they plan their next targets.

It's a world seldom shown to the public in such an insightful way. To be fair, it would be naïve to imagine it to be a completely true portrayal of the complicated nature of Islamic extremism, but it's remarkably free of the usual "America = good; everybody else = bad" flag-waving that is such a Hollywood hallmark.

Cheadle and Saïd Taghmaoui ('Vantage Point'), who plays the role of the terrorist Omar, lead the way in this by bringing a sense of humanity to the film. The way they portray the bond that forms between them is captivating in its honesty about brothers in arms, regardless of their ideology.

Director McDonough continues to surprise throughout, deftly weaving the suspense in such a way that it remains constant throughout. It's his ability to know when to change direction unexpectedly — executed with perfect timing — that leaves you on the edge of your seat throughout.

If any criticism can be laid at the feet of this film, it’s that the first 15 minutes or so seem a little to haggard, and that you can see the main plot twist coming from a mile away. The latter is fortunately offset by a twist that comes out of nowhere towards the end, leaving you with a delightful sense of having been pleasantly surprised.

All in all, 'Traitor' might seem to have all the trademarks of a low budget production, but that's only true in the literal, financial sense. As an action thriller, it succeeds with ease.



source : http://entertainment.iafrica.com