The International

Blu-Ray Review: Don’t Be Fooled By Action Promise of ‘The International’

BrianTT — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – The cover for the Blu-Ray release of Tom Tykwer’s “The International,” starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, sells the film as an action-packed thriller for a new era. There’s Clive with a deadly snarl, a gash on his face, and a firing gun. Don’t buy it. “The International” features some lovely settings, but it’s ultimately too dull to deliver.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.5/5.0

Action always does extremely well on the home market. It’s always one of the most highly rented and bought genres of the year. Audiences are likely to be drawn to a movie like “The International”. My expectations were certainly high being a huge fan of Watts and Owen and liking a lot of director Tykwer’s previous work.

The International was released on Blu-Ray on June 9th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

The script for “The International” by Eric Warren Singer plays off current fears about privacy and the control of worldwide corporations, but is ultimately both overly complicated and dully predictable at the same time. Only one amazing action set-piece in the Guggenheim nearly saves the film. If you think one incredible action scene, arguably the best of the year to date, justifies a Blu-Ray rental or purchase, then check out “The International”.

Owen stars as Louis Salinger, an Interpol investigator on the verge of breaking open a worldwide conspiracy. An informant at a world banking organization is going to reveal that his company has been buying up missile guidance systems. Of course, the informant ends up dead and Salinger desperately tries to bring down the international conspiracy he now knows about without him.

The International was released on Blu-Ray on June 9th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony

Watts plays the New York Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman, Salinger’s friend and colleague in the war against the powers that be. Armin Mueller-Stahl plays the coordinator for the bank and Brian F. O’Byrne nearly steals the movie as their most efficient assassin.

Every single line in “The International” is either cliched spy-speak about “finding a way further in when you can’t find one out” or plot-driven exposition about the incredibly clunky story. We need to identify with Salinger and Whitman for “The International” to work, but we never care about their journey. “The International” is an action movie with no hero.

And it’s even more disheartening to watch the normally charismatic Owen fall victim to a script this dull and to see one of the best actresses alive in Watts wasted more than she ever has in her entire career.

And then there’s that shoot-out. Imagine a film stuck in neutral that suddenly turns the speed up to 80 MPH for about fifteen minutes. About two-thirds of the way through, Tykwer and his team stage a shoot-out that ranks among the best of the last few years.

If you decide to take a look at “The International” for that one sequence alone, you’ll be able to do so with one of the better video and audio transfers of the month, a well-balanced 1080P picture with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track.

The special features on “The International” are light but do include the picture-in-picture “The International Experience,” an extended scene, and “Shooting at the Guggenheim”. The package also includes a digital copy of the film.

‘The International’ is released by Sony Home Video and stars Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Brian F. O’Byrne. It was written by Eric Warren Singer and directed by Tom Tykwer. The Blu-Ray and DVD were released on June 9th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Clive Owen, Naomi Watts Fail to Save Deadly Dull ‘The International’

BrianTT — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:54:38 -0700

CHICAGO – Tom Tykwer’s “The International,” an alleged thriller starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, is one of the most surprisingly inert films so far this year, an awfully written conspiracy flick that never gets out of neutral and is only remotely worth someday seeing for one fantastic action sequence.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

Playing off the current fears about privacy and the control of worldwide corporations, writer Eric Warren Singer tries to blend modern paranoia with the genre of the action thriller, but ends up writing a film that is somehow both overly complicated and shockingly predictable at the same time.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “The International” in our reviews section.

With a plot that’s either impossible to follow or merely so dull that I stopped trying, “The International” drowns a solid set-up, talented cast, and one great action set-piece in a tide of nonsensical drama about one man’s battle against a corrupt banking behemoth.

That man is Louis Salinger (Clive Owen), an Interpol investigator who is on the verge of breaking a worldwide conspiracy wide open. An informant at a world banking power is about to reveal that his company has been buying up missile guidance systems. Of course, within minutes of the opening credits both Louis’ partner and their contact is dead, leaving a frustrated Louis back at square one.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “The International” review.

‘The International’ stars Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Brian F. O’Byrne. ‘The International,’ which was written by Eric Warren Singer and directed by Tom Tykwer, opens on February 13th, 2009. It is rated R.

as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.">
Photo credit: Jay Maidment/Columbia Pictures

Slideshow: 21-Image Gallery For ‘The International’ With Clive Owen, Naomi Watts

BrianTT — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:29:55 -0700

CHICAGO – This 21-image slideshow contains the official press images for “The International,” which was directed by Tom Tykwer and features Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Brian F. O’Byrne. The Sony Pictures release opens on Friday, February 13th, 2009.

Synopsis: “In The International, a gripping thriller, Interpol Agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts) are determined to bring to justice one of the world’s most powerful banks. Uncovering myriad and reprehensible illegal activities, Salinger and Whitman follow the money from Berlin to Milan to New York to Istanbul. Finding themselves in a high-stakes chase across the globe, their relentless tenacity puts their own lives at risk as their targets will stop at nothing – even murder – to continue financing terror and war. Directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) from an original screenplay written by Eric Warren Singer, The International was shot on location in Germany and throughout Europe.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos are credited to Jay Maidment and © Columbia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

International_01: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_02: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_03: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_04: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_05: Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman and Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_06: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_07: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_08: Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_09: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger and Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_10: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_11: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger and Jack McGee as Detective Bernie Ward in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_12: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_13: Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman and Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_14: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_15: Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman and Director Tom Tykwer on the set of Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_16: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger and Director Tom Tykwer on the set of Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_17: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger on the set of Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_18: Director Tom Tykwer and Clive Owen as Louis Salinger on the set of Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_19: Director Tom Tykwer on the set of Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_20: Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.
International_21: Naomi Watts as Eleanor Whitman and Clive Owen as Louis Salinger in Columbia Pictures thriller The International.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

The 10 Most Anticipated Movies of Early 2009

BrianTT — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:58:10 -0700

CHICAGO – Believe it or not, there are movies worth marking your calendar for between Oscar season and the big summer blockbusters of 2009.

Over the next few months, the buzz for films like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “Star Trek,” “Angels & Demons,” “Terminator: Salvation,” “Night at the Museum 2,” “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Public Enemies,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “New Moon,” and Pixar’s “Up” is going to become absolutely deafening, but there are well over a hundred flicks hitting the multiplex before those box office juggernauts take center stage and, believe it or not, a handful are actually worth your time.

The first third of 2008 produced quality films in “Cloverfield,” “In Bruges,” “The Visitor,” “George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead,” “Snow Angels,” “Redbelt,” and “Paranoid Park”. Which, granted, was not an overwhelming display of memorable filmmaking, but the point is that even in a weak season like the one we were about to start at this point last year, there were still a few gems. So, the question is - what will the early season gems be in 2009?

Looking into our movie-loving crystal ball, we’ve tried to target the ten films from January to April 2009 that we might conceivably still be talking about twelve months from now. While we recognize that there are audiences out there with countdown clocks for the release of “Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience” and “Hannah Montana: The Movie,” we are not members of that audience. And movies like “Crank 2: High Voltage”, “The Pink Panther 2,” and “The Fast and Furious” clearly have loyal fan followings but, if those sequels are even halfway decent, we’ll be surprised and satisfied. No, the idea was to try and find the 5-star films based on pedigree, plot, previews, potential, and assuming that a certain legal battle surrounding “Watchmen” goes the way that we think it will. So, without further ado…

The Soloist, from Paramount Pictures, opens on April 24th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

10. “The Soloist”
Release Date: April 24th
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Stephen Root, and Tom Hollander
Writer: Susannah Grant
Director: Joe Wright

Plot: The comeback kid of 2008, Robert Downey Jr., plays Steve Lopez, an LA Times journalist who discovers a former classical music prodigy living on the streets. Based on the true story, “The Soloist” details Lopez’s attempts at bringing the talented musician, played by Jamie Foxx, back to his feet.

Reason To Get Excited: Hanging onto the top ten by its dirty fingernails, “The Soloist” would have ranked a lot higher on this list if it hadn’t been bumped from the 2008 Oscar season for undisclosed reasons. That’s usually a bad sign. In fact, nearly everyone involved with making this drama seems to be distancing themselves from it, with Downey getting more press for his work on “Sherlock Holmes” and barely anyone talking about “The Soloist”. But there’s too much potential in that cast, the Oscar-nominated writer of “Erin Brokovich,” and the talented director of “Pride and Prejudice” and “Atonement” to completely dismiss this project sight unseen. Even the gorgeous score on the official site hints at a project that definitely should work. Yes, this could be the misstep in the Downey comeback and Foxx hasn’t really been stellar since he won his Oscar, but we’re not ready to give up on “The Soloist” yet.

The International, from Sony Pictures, opens on February 13th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures

9. “The International”
Release Date: February 13th
Cast: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Thomasen, Jack McGee, and Brian F. O’Byrne
Writer: Eric Singer
Director: Tom Tykwer

Plot: Clive Owen plays an Interpol agent working with a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney (Naomi Watts) in an effort to bring down one of the world’s most powerful banks. International espionage, worldwide cover-ups, and war-profiteering serve as the backdrop for what could be the action thriller of the winter.

Reason To Get Excited: Three words - Tykwer, Watts, Owen. The director of “Run Lola Run” and the stars of “Children of Men” and “Eastern Promises”. These names should give everyone reason to get excited. Why not higher on the list? Well, the preview looks a little goofy and early February is not often known for stellar action. Case in point - this weekend last year saw the release of the horrible “Jumper”. It seems unlikely that Owen, Watts, and Tykwer would make something that disposable with “The International,” but we’ll keep our fingers crossed that this will be the perfect Valentine’s Day alternative to “He’s Just Not That Into You” that we think it will be.

Adventureland, from Miramax Films, opens on March 27th, 2009.
Photo credit: Miramax Films

8. “Adventureland”
Release Date: March 27th
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Margarita Levieva, and Ryan Reynolds
Writer/Director: Greg Mottola

Plot: In the summer of 1987, a recent college grad (Jesse Eisenberg) takes a useless job at a local amusement park as he prepares for the real world.

Reason To Get Excited: Most people still think that Judd Apatow directed “Superbad,” but it was actually the talented Greg Mottola who helmed that hilarious flick and his comic follow-up looks like it has a similar charm. Eisenberg was great in “The Squid and the Whale,” Kristen Stewart has always hinted at potential better than the movies she chooses, and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are currently the most talented male and female comedian on “Saturday Night Live”. There are several promising comedies in early 2009, but “Adventureland” is one of the most appealing.

Anna Faris as Brandi and Seth Rogen as Ronnie in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ comedy “Observe and Report,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Photo credit: Peter Sorel

7. “Observe and Report”
Release Date: April 10th
Cast: Anna Faris, Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Patton Oswalt, and Michael Pena
Writer/Director: Jody Hill

Plot: Rogen plays the bi-polar mall security guard Ronnie Barnhardt, who’s called in to stop a flasher from destroying his mall, but he needs the help of a surly detective, played by the often-funny and usually surly Ray Liotta. Also, the great Patton Oswalt plays a character named “Cinnabon Man”. ‘Nuff said.

Reason To Get Excited: Seth Rogen and Anna Faris are two of the most reliably effective comedians working today. Don’t get me wrong. Faris has made some BAD career choices. But the same can’t be said for Rogen, who gave two of the best performances of his career last year in “Pineapple Express” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno”. And the great concept sounds like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” but, you know, funny. We’re choosing to ignore that writer/director Jody Hill made the buzzed-about, though ultimately disappointing “The Foot Fist Way”. Everyone needs to start somewhere.