"Syriana" wheels and deals for oil

"Syriana," directed by Stephen Gaghan and based on a novel by Robert Baer, not only thrills but also manages to throw some serious political commentary into the mix. The movie tells the stories of Bob Barnes (George Clooney), a CIA agent who sneaks in and out of Middle Eastern Countries; Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon,) an oil business analyst; Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright), a corporate attorney who is conflicted about helping with the merger of two large oil companies and Wasim Khan (Mazhar Munir), a Pakistani teenager who is enticed by a cleric's promises of glory.

Although the stories are largely unconnected through much of the movie, Gaghan ties them all together in a (literal) explosion of cinematographic technique at the end. Even so, Gaghan's direction of the movie leaves something to be desired, and even observant viewers might find themselves confused by the plot.

Despite plot holes and weaknesses, the movie is extremely entertaining. From Clooney, who excellently plays the gruff manly-man with a heart, to Damon, who delivers a mature and heart-wrenching portrayal of a man enduring the utmost in family tragedy, all of the actors give excellent performances.

Special recognition is due to Alexander Siddig and Amanda Peet. Siddig plays Prince Nasir Al-Subaai, a forward-thinking hopeful vying for the throne of his father's kingdom. Siddig manages to draw the audience into the mind of a liberal in a country governed by extremists through his attempts to bring modernity to his country. Peet is equally stunning as Julie Woodward, Damon's wife. She manages to connect with the audience and provide a moving portrayal of a mother under unimaginable stress, while also complementing Damon's acting to make any scenes with the two of them extremely memorable.

The only weak link is Wright. Maybe it's to his credit that he is so realistic playing an annoying lawyer, or maybe it's Gaghan's fault in direction, but the character's motives never really become clear. Wright vacillates between wanting to blow the whistle on the debacle around him to participating in the corruption along with the other suits. This indecisiveness comes across not as a device to show the character's growth but rather as hesitancy to play him one way or another, something that fatally weakens the character portrayal.

The most remarkable, and most problematic, aspect of the movie is the political undercurrent that is apparent to viewers even through the sometimes-murky plot. Although the film has significant difficulties in terms of plot clarity, the movie makes one thing blatantly clear: American oil companies are fantastically corrupt.

But Gaghan doesn't quite decide whether he wants this idea to merely be a motif or the central theme of the movie, and the movie hovers indecisively between serious political commentary and a Clancy-esque tale of international intrigue and tension in the Middle East. That said, "Syriana" works because of all-star performances of the entire cast, and the movie provides an intriguing look at the Middle East along with some excellent thriller-style action.

"Syriana"(126 minutes) is rated R for violence and language and is playing at numerous area theaters.