The CIA agent surely looks brave and smart but at the price of Iranian security looking too primitive

Rating: 8/10 (24 November 2012)

ARGO
By Vladimir Kruglyak
If you are a fan of James Bond, you'd like this film. Unlike the double-o-seven's fancy missions however, this movie is down-to-earth real. The American thriller directed by Ben Affleck, who is also a member of the cast as a CIA operative, is comparable to his previous work, The Town. As that movie, the current production is also imbued with authentic tension that will leave a long lasting impression of an eyewitness to the secret operation. Based on true events of 1979 hostage crisis, this movie captivates with its diplomatic contagion. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) leads the rescue of six diplomats caught in the revolutionary turmoil — militant Islamic students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took ninety hostages. The aggravated crowd demanded that the escaped to the U.S. Shah of Iran be returned for a trial. While the Iranian government delayed expurgating negativity of the protest, the CIA agent Mendez ingratiated the covert escape scheme for diplomats and after brief preparations at Hollywood Studios, took off for Iran. He figured that in addition to the spread of Protestants' beliefs, the U.S. citizens may have another reason to be inside the foreign country, that is, to make a movie, and that is the bat that the CIA intelligence officer made against the odds. But as at the most bureaucratic government agencies, at CIA everything must be approved. And when Mendez's idea of taking the hiding diplomats out as a fake movie crew is about to become reality, he doesn't get approval from the high office and acts on his own. The desperate breakthrough at the well secured civilian airport seems improbable, and the successful escape depicted in this movie serves not as a simple tribute to the brave and surely lucky CIA agent but rather as a derogatory remark toward Iranian security forces. Starting with black and white documentary shots of the conflict at the American Embassy in Tehran in 1979, the film establishes its authority. Next follows the scene of burning the American flag complimented by the address plan of Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. This sequence sets the nature of the plot to both inquisitive and cautionary. Our attention is constantly captivated by close ups into details such as gun barrel, eyes, and calligraphic on documents. The six characters that look like Pink Floyd fans are realistically panicking and truly believe that their days are over. Yes, the truth is ugly — you may be called a hero at your home country but abroad, you are a fugitive criminal with forged documents and no excuses to make if justice comes. In moments of culmination, when captivity is seconds away, the heat of emotions that is captured through shaky camera gives an impression of a covert view. This effect dismisses any apocryphal thoughts a skeptical viewer might have had. It feels as if the movie producers wanted to show the austere reality and that is what you'll see. Namely — a group of apprehended U.S. government employees trying to escape undetected from the foreign environment, but an impasse is in place and only small chances can help. In depicting these chances, the filmmakers should have eschewed a play of probabilities because even in 1979, when no cellular devices existed, a chance that allows fugitives to fly away right from the civilian airport just doesn't seem plausible. This triumph of doubt begins from perfidious Iranian woman whose mission of a "snitch" at the Canadian ambassador's house is a bit overdressed, given her fear and loyalty based on Islamic religion. Thus, the failure of multiple stratagems creates a hard-to-believe pattern, but this is the only rationale for a happy ending to arrive. By delaying the climax to the very end of the film, the Argo keeps us motivated for entire two hours. And it will be unfortunate to have a bathroom call during the movie. So, be prepared and stay put, you won't regret the experience.