The International

Summary: Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and NY Assistant DA Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) try to expose the world's biggest financial institution for its money laundering, arms dealing and other illegal activities. They travel all over the world to unravel the conspiracy and bring it to justice.

Review: The movie's plot was a bit absurd, but it was well made. The dialogue was decent and Clive Owens is excellent. I never seem to recall a smiling Clive Owen and I guess that's just his natural character. Naomi Watts looked good in this movie. The shooting scene at the Guggenheim was one of the best action scenes I can recall watching. It had a lot of intrigue, but I was lost at times in the plot. The plot tried too hard at times to be "sophisticated" and I just thought it was too absurd to be this "sophisticated." The supporting cast was decent too and I loved the character Wexler (Armin Mueller-Stahl) and Jnoas Skarssen (Ulrich Thomsen) as amoral villains.

Further Question/Philosophy/Theme: Are banks really this immoral: trying to make all nations slaves to debt or money launder for the drug cartels? There is evidence for banks wanting students to be indebted forever and money laundering for drug cartels by Wachovia now Wells Fargo that is documented, but arms dealing would take it to a new level. What is justice? Do we all have choices in the decisions we make?

Power Rating (Out of 5): 3 I thought the movie was well made and enjoyable, but the plot had me lost at times because of its over-complexities. Maybe I was guilty of multi-tasking, but the movie just didn't capture my attention in the beginning. It tried to show things, but it was hard to follow in the beginning because it was a mystery, but it didn't exactly thrill me. The movie was better made than the premise of the plot. It reminded me a lot of Michael Clayton, but that plot was much more enthralling and captivating.

Favorite Quotes:
Wilhelm Wexler: Sometimes a man can meet his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

Wilhelm Wexler: We cannot control the things life does to us. They are done before you know it, and once they are done, they make you do other things. Until at last everything comes between you and the man you wanted to be.

Umberto Calvini: [In explaining the "true" nature of banking in the world] The IBBC is a bank. Their objective isn't to control the conflict, it's to control the debt that the conflict produces. You see, the real value of a conflict, the true value, is in the debt that it creates. You control the debt, you control everything. You find this upsetting, yes? But this is the very essence of the banking industry, to make us all, whether we be nations or individuals, slaves to debt.

Louis Salinger: Based on everything I've read about you, you seem like the kind of man who aspired to die for something more than this.
Wilhelm Wexler: Well, this is the difference between truth and fiction. Fiction has to make sense.

Wilhelm Wexler: Character is easier kept than recovered.

Cassian Skarssen: When there's no way out, you find a deeper way in.

Jonas Skarssen: [to his son regarding a board game] This is a game that rewards patience and balance. You must think like a man of action and act like a man of thought.