This film is filled with Oscar winners, from the Director Sydney Pollack, to the two main leads in Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. However, taking centerstage is the UN building in New York, where for the first time, filmmakers are allowed into its halls and corridors, rather than relying on soundstages and backlots to create the movie magic. I have a friend who's working there, and of course whenever the building is on screen, my eyes were peeled.
Naturally, the way Security is portrayed in the film got my interest as well, kinda like an occupational hazard, not that I am dealing with the high level stuff, but the same principles apply. Probably I'm the only one getting kicks from watching surveillance, security surveys, threat assessments, background checks, intelligence gathering, etc. Though I could say what they put on screen is plausible, there was one scene in the beginning that had me shaking my head to (i.e. major plothole, unlikely possible in real life), but has to happen anyway to facilitate the plot.
And that's when we have Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) overhearing voices in the General Assembly talking about assassinating a visiting dignitary at the UN, and sparks off a cat and mouse game with her protector, Secret Service Agent Tobin Keller (Sean Penn) and team racing against time to discover who the perpertrators of the plot is, try to stop it from happening on US soil, and protecting their sole witness Silvia. But is she hiding something from the investigators? Given her constant suspicious behaviour, it surely seems there is more to the interpreter than meets the eye.
In a political thriller like this, there is no lack of showcasing bureaucracy, and politics amongst the various stakeholders, be they UN General Assembly, Security Council, etc. The current terrorism climate also rings close in this film, and it serves as a reminder to the audience that whoever out there hatching these diabolical plots, sad to say, hold the upperhand as to where and when to strike if we don't stay vigilant. However, US audiences might find the act shown in the movie too close for comfort.
The pacing's comfortable, though at times threading close to sappy flashbacks, but when things heat up, they really get tense. IF you're a fan of tense moments like what Se7en offered, this show offers a few which will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Sean Penn, if not the fine actor he is, could easily own the world weary cop role, as do Bruce Willis or even Al Pacino. But he gives his character an additional edge, on one hand brooding over the death of his adulterous wife, and on the other trying to figure out and protect his charge. Nicole Kidman, as the interpreter, brings about a tough-as-cookie yet extremely vulnerable woman in Silvia Broome with an accent to boot, and hey, it works for me (read: eye candy).
Some may find the plot a tad confusing, given the language used (which calls for an interpretation, sometimes hard to listen in to the English portion), and uncommon character names (hey, it's the UN), but hang in there, and you'll enjoy this film as much as I did.
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