From the film's first scenes in Berlin, director Tom Tykwer (Run, Lola, Run"") takes audiences across the globe from Luxembourg, to Italy, to Istanbul and, of course, eventually to Manhattan. These grand settings immediately give meaning to the title by taking audiences on a tour of the beautiful scenery that includes the stars of the film, the short-tempered foreigner Clive Owen and the innocent Naomi Watts.
In the film, the IBBC (International Bank of Business and Credit) is one of the world's largest, most powerful and sinister banks that looks to control the international flow of money by offering political coups, military weaponry and counter-intelligence to all nations, governments and insurgents. And when someone gets too close to discovering the truth, they'll settle with an old-fashioned assassination.
Trying to emphasize the interconnectivity among the IBBC, governments of the world and warfare, Tom Tykwer does a nice job of establishing an ever-changing setting. The hard-cutting and extreme long shots between the sprawling landscapes help capture the immeasurable influence of the evil bank.
Unfortunately for viewers, the magic carpet ride coupled with a good-looking cast isn't enough to make this a great film.
Clive Owen plays Louis Salinger, an Interpol agent who has been following the business practices of the IBBC. Just when he manages to find witnesses, they wind up either dead or silenced.
Teaming up with Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), the two try desperately to bring the bank to justice. Both Salinger and Whitman travel across the globe looking for that one piece of evidence that can transport them from paranoid outcasts to fearless heroes.
In terms of casting, Owen has more experience in saving the world while hating everyone. Nevertheless, Salinger's history with violence and conspiracy theories allows the audience to feel sympathetic toward his seemingly incessant pursuit of bringing the bank to justice.
On the other hand, Watts lacks any real power or conviction in her performance. Her character could have been completely left out of the movie, as the film relies too much on her looks and not enough on character development. If there is not going to be a love story or sex scene, then you have to actually build a character and not just a pretty blonde.
A lot of times, action dramas go too heavy on the action and too light on the drama. ""The International"" completely flips it around, allowing the drama to accelerate and foreshadow the limited action.
For most of the movie, the actors are not shooting but staring at each other, heightened by extremely intense and climactic musical tones.
The continuous and almost superfluous use of dramatic percussion masks the lack of action in the movie. The dramatic music did seem slightly overused, but aside from the effective lighting and planning of the Guggenheim massacre, the movie is successfully propelled not by murder, but by music.
Capitalizing on an American audience whose fear and loathing for the banks is second to none, this film should do reasonably well at the box office. Nevertheless, if you're a film buff looking for more then just good scenery, ""The International"" may leave you a bit unsatisfied.
Although the visual aesthetics and accessible plot are commendable, audiences may not want to see a movie where America's worst nightmares are exaggerated for profit.
Grade: C
