Everyone loves the movies...

Rating: 7/10 (17 October 2012)

Ben Affleck's "Argo" opens with a stunning prologue depicting the siege and takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran during the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The whole sequence is exciting and extremely involving. The leading up to the main core of the film's plot is also as engaging.
"Argo" tells the true story of a fake movie which saved the lives of the Americans trapped during the crisis. There are obvious parts which are too "movie-ish" and "Americanized", however, without them it can't be considered a mainstream movie now can it?
When all other plans fail, the CIA allows their specialist Tony Mendez (Affleck) to go ahead with his plan - with the help of Hollywood make-up artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin) to front a fake movie studio, approve a science-fiction script, fly Mendez to Iran, and fly the Americans out of Tehran disguised as film crewmembers on a location shoot. No matter how ridiculous the plan sounds like, it's a true story nonetheless. And this is a thrilling depiction of the affair.
It's also a reminder of how powerful the movies can be, both by itself and the making of. This story takes place when two countries are both on the edge, and tensions are spiking on the extreme. Movie magic apparently eases and spellbinds both sides, you'll see what I mean when watching this.
The film also fiercely supports my notion that Ben Affleck is fast on his way into becoming a versatile filmmaker by his own right, and has already evolved into a promising one. Might he be the next Clint Eastwood? Too early to tell, yes, but Affleck shows no sign of sloppiness thus far. Affleck is fairly good in his performance but he directs the film with supreme confidence and skill, using subtle techniques to wring out the thrills.
I especially liked how the film really is a pure thriller instead of the obligatory car chases and gunfights (although the climax is technically a chase, it is subtly directed making it helluva exciting). Affleck, in the past decade being typecast as an action hero, now doesn't even fire a single shot in this one. I like that.
Technically, the film looks like it came out of a time capsule, with the production and costume design, '70s grain and even the vintage Warner Bros logo are at play - it delves you into the film even further. Editing is appropriately paced, yet Alexandre Desplat's music score could have been a bit better. Just my two cents.
With a strong supporting cast (Arkin and Goodman are hilarious in their parts, injecting surprising cynical humor; Bryan Cranston as Mendez's supervisor; Victor Garber as the Canadian ambassador who bravely risks himself while sheltering the Americans) and an intelligent, fiercely exciting, intensely moving, and appropriately terse screenplay. However the film's flaws may be, "Argo" is still one hell of a thriller.
Overall: 84%