A flawed but thought-provoking biopic.

Rating: 6/10 (23 September 2016)

Oliver Stone hasn't made a film in the new millennium that comes even close to rivalling his pre-2000 output, but this topical biopic is a great step in the right direction despite featuring some narrative clichés and cardboard cutout characters. Set during the tumultuous few days Edward Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was hiding in Hong Kong with journalist Glenn Greenwald (Zachary Quinto – a scene stealer) and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras (Melissa Leo), the story is predominantly relayed through flashbacks to varying degrees of success. The movie conveys the complex cyber world in a comprehensible and visually interesting manner however there's a fair bit of melodramatic flab that could've been cut, particularly the wearisome scenes exploring Snowden's relationship with flighty girlfriend Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley). The eponymous whistle-blower is fleshed out extremely well though, thanks in large part to the uber-talented Gordon-Levitt who delivers a multi-faceted portrayal of a ferociously intelligent and patriotic geek who wants to serve his country with pride and distinction. Unfortunately the swathe of recognisable faces surrounding him are given very little to work with. Rhys Ifans is stereotypically shady as a CIA boss, Timothy Olyphant is a one-dimensionally immoral field agent, Melissa Leo and Tom Wilkinson are cookie-cutter journos and Nicolas Cage is, well, Nicolas Cage. Where big points are scored is with the visual style, Anthony Dod Mantle's dynamic cinematography full of intense close ups, sharp zooms and kaleidoscopic lensing, all combining to create a sense of immediacy and intimacy. Stone's direction is impassioned and propulsive, albeit a little ostentatious on occasion, but his biggest failure is not reigning in Craig Armstrong and Adam Peters' overbearing and unnecessarily manipulative score. A solid biopic on a controversial figure who still splits opinion, Snowden is undeniably flawed and overlong yet is also informative, thought provoking and often times rousing.