Three in a row for Mr. Affleck!

Rating: 10/10 (26 October 2012)

Argo, the third feature directed by Ben Affleck, is simply stunning. Taking place during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Argo takes your breath away as it very accurately portrays the covert CIA operation, led by Ben Affleck, to extract six American hostages. In the midst of the Iran hostage crisis, six American citizens escaped out the back exit the of the U.S. Embassy. They took hiding in the Canadian Ambassador's home but were very much in danger as they were constantly being looked for by Iranian soldiers. CIA extractor Tony Mendez (Affleck) hatches a scheme to disguise the six citizens and himself as a Canadian film crew scouting Iran as a location for a fake movie called "Argo." The plan is then for them to hopefully sneak back into USA using the Iran International Airport, leading to a nail-biting finish.
At this point, Ben Affleck is a supreme director. The first two movies he directed (Gone Baby Gone and The Town) were outstanding and he has now outdone himself with his latest installment, Argo. Though Argo is not as gritty as the previous films directed by Affleck, the intensity level is just as high. As a viewer, you will have to wait patiently for the climax to build but I can assure you, you will be rewarded with one of the most tense movie experiences this year. Ben Affleck did a very nice job of letting the plot grow and develop on its own. You don't feel forced to care about these stranded American citizens. Instead, the movie sucks you into their dilemma and the film grows so organically that you find yourself worried and scared for these people without even realizing it. Even if you know the story, you will still be left in shock and awe as you witness this adaptation of the courageous mission that took place. Kudos to Ben Affleck for drawing me in and not letting go.
You may feel confused when watching Argo for the first 45 minutes of the movie. Like I said, the plot slowly builds. By this I mean, it almost seems like comedy for a brief period. Ben Affleck is trying to pitch a fake movie with Alan Arkin and John Goodman and there are some moments that are pretty hilarious. However, this part of the movie is very necessary as it lets the story shape into an exciting thriller with a huge pay-off.
Unlike Affleck's previous movies where the action is in, well, the action of the characters, in Argo, the action is all in the dialog. This is done with superb acting under the helm of Affleck. This is by far the best performance from Affleck thus far in his career. Bryan Cranston was amazing in this movie too but honestly, when isn't Bryan Cranston amazing? Cranston is one of the best actors around today and he shows that in this film. The best thing about Argo is that everything (the script, the performances, the dialog) was all very real.
Argo is an Oscar worthy picture. It really is a movie event at its finest and gives you hope for the future of film making. I will have to say that The Town is a little bit better of a movie but Argo is still a damn good film that leaves me eager to see what Ben Affleck does next. You do not want to miss this exciting political thriller. A+