MOVIE REVIEW: Traitor

Aaron Peck

“Traitor,” like the “Bourne” movies dabbles in political intrigue, double agents and espionage. But, unlike the “Bourne” movies, “Traitor” doesn’t really make you care about the story until the third act, and by then it’s too little too late.

Don Cheadle ,”Hotel Rwanda”, stars as Samir Horn. Samir is a devout Muslim. He also happens to be ex-United States military. After witnessing a car bombing that killed his father and serving his tours of duty, Samir falls of “the grid,” and “goes dark.” He resurfaces in Yemen, where he’s selling bombs to terrorists.

After a meeting with potential buyers gets raided, Samir is sent to prison for terrorism. There he earns the trust of Omar ,Said Taghmaoui, “Kite Runner”, who has deep terrorist ties, and is planning something big for the U.S. Guy Pearce ,”Memento”, and Neal McDonough ,”88 Minutes”, play two FBI agents who are trying to track down Samir to see why he is working for the other side.

After a prison break Samir and Omar are on the loose, planning attacks and supplying explosives to suicide bombers. They trot around the world with each other from France to Spain, Toronto to Chicago avoiding detection. It seems they are always one step ahead of the American government. All the while no one knows whose side Samir is truly on, and sometimes neither does he.

“Traitor” has a meaning to get across, and it’s not shy about it. The question the audience is supposed to ask themselves is, in which sense is Samir a traitor? Is he a traitor to the US, or to Islam? Is he a traitor to himself? The movie makes some good points at the end. How many “innocent” people are considered expendable for a war against terrorism to be a success?

The problem with the movie, though, is that it starts too slow. The first hour of the film labors on at a sluggish pace, without revealing much about anything except that Samir is devout in his beliefs and isn’t faking it. It isn’t until the last 40 minutes when the movie really starts to get going, but by then it’s hard to care for the characters.

Cheadle is a great actor, and seemed to be somewhat committed to this role, although it wasn’t overly convincing to me. Guy Pearce, another amazing actor, is completely underused in a part that could’ve been played by just about any tough looking actor out there.

It was hard for me to dislike this movie, mainly because I really liked its overall message. Each side in this “war” thinks they are right. Each person thinks what they are doing is just. When a person is caught in between those two worlds, which one does he choose and why? Sadly though, Samir’s inner struggle comes too late in the movie and it’s hard to care by then.

Everyone has to choose which side they are on; it’s hard to do so. I’m just on the side that didn’t think this movie, with its message, were what it could have been.

– aaron.peck@aggiemail.usu.edu