Argo (2012)

Argo tells the story of a real-life CIA caper from the late seventies, the purpose of which was to rescue six Americans who had escaped an overtaking of the US embassy in Iran. The six citizens find refuge at the Canadian embassy, but their whereabouts are all too quickly being discovered. A CIA consultant named Tony Mendez, played controversially by Ben Affleck who also directed, came up with the idea to set up a production company to make a fake movie. It’s a science fiction tale that will require shoots in exotic locations, with Iran being a possible choice. Mendez proposes that he go into Iran, where the natives are killing Americans on sight, and get the six Americans out by posing as a Canadian film crew. However, things don’t always go as planned.

Ben Affleck is quickly establishing himself as one of the great modern directors. His first two films, Gone Baby Gone and The Town, were undeniably solid dramas that would have made Affleck memorable as a director by themselves. With Argo, though, he has outdone himself. Even before the movie was released this weekend, there were whisperings of it being one of the best of the year, if not the best. The rumors are not just hype. This is a marvel of a thriller. Here is proof once again that movies like The Avengers aren’t worth their success. There was a movie that was all action and no intensity, which resulted in no interest, at least not from me. This film is incredibly intense, and proves that a good story is better than all the computer effects in the world. There is a disturbing quality to the film, which covers a great deal of ground in just a couple hours. The movie features rapid-fire editing, cutting back and forth between scenes of the rushed panic of the CIA planners, the silent worry of the Americans in hiding and the Holocaust-esque horrors occurring in the country all around them. If there are easy comparisons made between the events seen here and modern-day cultural crises, it is not unintentional.

I may not have as much to say here as I normally would, simply because I was so intently involved in the film that I forgot to take notes. I can say without hesitation that Argo is a riveting and exciting experience that should not be missed. It is a virtually perfect movie. Offhand, I can’t think of a single flaw. The only major criticism that seems to be going around is that Affleck cast himself as the lead, who was originally a Latino. This matters very little while you’re actually watching the movie, even if it does take away from its otherwise impeccable accuracy. Affleck is not the star here, the story is and that is how it should be. However, I can specifically praise the supporting performances from John Goodman and Alan Arkin, who do steal the show in their scenes, but not to distraction. I am glad to see Affleck and his films get deserved popularity, though I can’t imagine how he’s going to top this one.

10/10