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'Syriana': Cold, remote — and fascinating

The political thriller Syriana impresses in many ways. It has a good story (or in this case, stories), strong performances, rock-solid direction, and a gritty, lived-in look.

Yet for all the considerable skill on display, Syriana fails to connect in the most important way: I didn't really care much about most of the people in it. As passionate as the movie is about showing how corruption rots the soul, it does the job almost too well. The film is filled with so many cold and remote characters, it comes off as cold and remote itself, even as it spins a fascinating web of deceit and betrayal.

Warner Brothers Pictures 'Syriana' B The verdict: The kind of film in which the most powerful impact comes from reading between the lines, or looking deeply into the frames. Director: Stephen Gaghan Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Amanda Peet, Chris Cooper, Tim Blake Nelson Run time: 123 minutes Release date: Nov. 23, 2005 Rating: R for violence and language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Syriana'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Stephen Gaghan has written and directed the movie very much in the style of Traffic, for which he wrote an Oscar-winning screenplay. He criss-crosses several plot threads about the connections between the oil industry and terrorism. A CIA agent (George Clooney) is disillusioned when his superiors make him take a fall. An oil broker (Matt Damon) copes with a family tragedy, and a corporate lawyer (Jeffrey Wright) finds himself caught in a moral dilemma as two giant oil companies merge.

Gaghan, clearly impassioned by the project, directs with a sure hand. The film's often grimy look makes it seem as though we're watching footage stolen from hidden spy cameras. Syriana feels like a James Bond story planted squarely in the real world, with a curious peek behind the curtain to see what makes everything tick.

While Gaghan's directorial hand is confident, his writing hand is unfortunately too heavy. Many will complain that the movie is so densely packed with double crosses and details, that it's hard to follow, and they won't be far wrong. I never got lost, exactly, but there was so much going on that it was impossible to absorb it all in 126 minutes. Gaghan has enough material here for three movies and has tried to cram it all into one. A longer running time might have helped the movie breathe a little easier.

Many movies improve with subsequent viewings, and I'm fairly certain Syriana is one of them. Clearly, this is the kind of film in which the most powerful impact comes from reading between the lines, or looking deeply into the frames.

Still, the movie is so concerned with plot, it's not concerned enough with its characters. With the exception of the family tragedy that strikes Matt Damon and Amanda Peet's characters, no one's plight truly moved me. Traffic had almost as much story detail, yet it had some truly heartbreaking moments, such as when Michael Douglas' drug czar realizes that his own daughter is an addict. Syriana never achieves that kind of emotional power.

Many will hate this movie solely for its strong liberal bent. Many will love it because of that. Some will overpraise it because of its far-reaching ambition, which, to be fair, is refreshing in a year that has been, quite frankly, lousy for movies. Any film this thought-provoking and daring demands to be seen, shortcomings and all.

Whether a viewer approaches a movie as a liberal, conservative, or as a jaded critic, an essential truth remains: For a movie to be truly great, it must engage the heart as well as the mind. By being overly cerebral, Syriana kept me at arm's length, even as I admired its sweep and scope. I can easily recommend the film. I cannot so easily embrace it.