The International

Me and Paul went to watch The International after the Academy today, after ordering 'chicken' in KFC and falling over in the cinema seats the film started. I was expecting a cheesy Clive Owen action movie, not a genre I like at-all. But the opening shot just squashed this thought, you can tell straight away just by how well it was filmed that it was going to be a serious film.

Aesthetically the film was brilliant, some of the shots and framing were brilliant and the whole film followed this line. In some ways you can tell they were trying to go for a Michael Clayton look for the film, but they didn't quite nail this. But a very good try non the less.

The film's plot kept confusing me in area's and they never went to any real effort to try and explain what was going on?, for all I could see it was a pointless story-line. I kept expecting it to be a double bluff or some big twist to happen to redeem the movie. This sadly never came.

I also feel the film ran for too long I felt it dragging in places and the character set up of the movie wasn't brilliant, again they never went to any real level to establish main characters to make you invest in the movie.

When the film did really end, I was sat their like 'seriously?' thats how their ending it? that was a pointless movie? Its like they got to confused by their own film they said okay we don't even know what's going on here, never mind trying to end it. So it just ends and the credits montage tries to help finish the films plot. This was just a painfully bad way to end a film, if it had gone for the cheesy action movie, it would have been more than fine. But the fact they went for a serious plot driven movie this just didn't suffice.

But no-doubt that Paul will mention, the action scene halfway makes the film a worth while watch, even if it's all you take away from the movie. Just good old fashioned gun battle and stunts, that make you be like 'ouch!' and 'ohhhh!'

Clive's performance was top-notch he does suit these characters very well, and after seeing him in a few poor movies recently it has restored him as a brilliant actor in my eyes again.

Overall not a bad watch, but just be prepared to be disappointed with the ending. Even if you do just go see it for the action scene you won't be all that disappointed.