The Great Escape

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2013)

Suspense thrillers most of the time work for me because the protagonist most of the time are forced to think outside of the box, which is part of why the bad guys lose because they never expect such an unconventional but well thought out move. Ben Afleck is one of my favorite actors and is really on track to becoming one of my favorite directors, out of the films he's made so far this is probably my favorite of his. This film is one of my favorite suspense thriller and what makes it great and all the more suspenseful is the fact it's based on something that actually happened.
I really like most of the accuracy of the film, it captured the look and feel of the transitional period of 1979-1980. From fashions, hair styles, cars, some old news clips you name it it's all there. This helped in successfully portraying the situation of civil unrest going on in Iran and the hostage crisis going on. But also most of what happened in the film did happen, in the end credits we see comparison with real life photos and scenes in the film.
The characters all are good. I really liked Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez, I love the fact he's not portrayed as some cliché stereotypical straight laced C.I.A. agent but just an ordinary guy that is best at his job of extracting people from nervous situations. You really get a good feel for him, as he is on mission you can tell behind the eyes he struggles to keep cool and is constantly concerned for the six people and if he really can pull this scheme off. I really like the fake movie cover scam Tony cooked up, which I personally felt was a great idea. It was unconventional, creative, plausible, most importantly actually worked. Let alone the fact the fake movie is a sci-fi and I'm a huge fan of that genre which made the scam all the more cooler.
Bryan Cranston is great as Jack O Donnell. I like that he's not some cliché blowhole boss which I am personally sick of (honestly they can't be nice) but is actually a boss that is on the main protagonists side and a friend.
Alan Arkin as movie producer Lester Siegel and John Goodman as the late great makeup artist John Chambers are both great, they both helped make the scam a reality but I just love the fact both are selfless, their simply taking an opportunity to save lives which I feel is what any good person should do. I even like that there is some humor with them, Alan Arkin's character has some really funny lines like "If I want to make a fake movie I want it to be a fake hit." I felt that was kinda funny because he's right, one of the best methods of hiding is to be in plan sight.
Even like the six house guests which we don't know deeply but you do get a good feel for them which made them all the more sympathetic. Their all tired, on edge, just want to go home. I even like little moments like one of them has a little monologue where he regrets his dession to stay and should've listened to his wife at that time. That kinda thing I can sort of emphasize with, where in the aftermath of something you think back and realize if you did this or that at that time then you wouldn't be where you are now.
However for me what really made the film was in the suspense and story. I wouldn't say it's so much edge of your seat because you already know the ending of the film, but it's nerve racking because you wondering how. The pacing is good, it's not boring, I like some of the technicalities to make the scam work and most importantly you are constantly concerned about Tony and the six as they are going though the motions and taking action. There are some moments that make things nervous and kinda scary, like the security checkpoints they have to go though, driving though angry protesters. But also how there are scenes where we see some organization is slowly but surely putting together to pieces of the shredded mug list, this is sort of the time limit element we know once they complete the mugs of the six missing then they'll catch wind of the scam which is something were constantly hopping won't happen.
Overall this is a great film, Argo is an escapist journey.
Rating: 4 stars