I must confess I am a big fan of political thrillers. Everything from The Parallax View to Clear and Present Danger. This high level of appreciation means that I am not easily wowed. In recent years there have been more and more films dealing with the situation in the Middle East, or at the very least its effects, specifically terrorism and the continued danger to Americans around the world. Traitor takes a Bourne Identity-esque approach to this subject and thankfully, it manages to avoid the cliches and genre-specific trappings that have tripped up so many movies before it, such as The Siege. Peter Berg's under-appreciated The Kingdom was the last mainstream film to successfully portray the "war on terror" while managing to neither vilify nor glorify either side in this seemingly never-ending conflict.
Traitor moves at a very brisk pace and seems quite comfortable with the material. Indeed, it can be a tad confusing if you aren't paying attention, but everything is held together by the very capable cast, led by the consistently excellent Don Cheadle. Cheadle had his work cut out for him as he is tasked with playing the morally murky Samir, a man who seems willing to sell his services as an explosives expert to the highest bidder. He is brooding and intense and never stoops to the histrionics which a lesser actor may have employed. His portrayal keeps the FBI and the audience guessing throughout the first two acts and it never feels forced. This is yet another more than capable performance by one of the best actors working today. As previously mentioned, the rest of the cast is uniformly excellent, although most are given little to do besides run around and react to the work of Samir and the Islamic Brotherhood. Fans of the outstanding but criminally under seen Ravenous will enjoy the reunion of Guy Pierce and Neal McDonough as FBI partners who always seem to be just a step behind. The always welcome Jeff Daniels has a very brief but pivotal role and Said Taghmaoui proves once again that no one plays the role of slimy terrorist better (see David Mamet's Spartan for further proof).
Unfortunately, once you get past the cast, there isn't a whole lot to write home about. The story is solid, with plenty of twists and turns. There is the now obligatory snappy editing and urban-fused Middle Eastern score, as well as a nice pace which never allows the audience to stop and catch their breath. Those who enjoyed the Bourne films and don't mind a heavy dose of Middle Eastern politics will find that Traitor offers an interesting glimpse into the world of terrorism as well as a fascinating study of one man's sometimes questionable character. 3 out of 5 stars.
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