Argo (2012) ****½ /5: A accurate portrayal of a moment in time.

Argo is certainly one of the best films of the year as it actually captures vividly a moment in history. This film highlights the significance of art direction and cinematography and a director that can synthesize these elements around an engrossing story.  The film seems as if it is capturing a moment in history because of how the story is told; it does not feel like other films that have a complete story that takes place over a particular period of time where there are significant moments of catharsis so that a particular character can come to some earth shattering conclusion about life. It feels as if the characters became swept up in the tide of history as a result of a particular event. In this case it is a diplomatic crisis being faced by the US regarding the Iranian revolution of 1979 where the corrupt and exploitative Shah was ousted by the populace and was forced to seek asylum in the US. The revolution saw the return of the radical Muslim cleric Ayatollah Khomeini who removed the negative cultural influences associated with the US backed Shah’s rule and replaced with precepts associated with the Islamic revolution. The US embassy in Iran at the beginning of the film is under attack because the Iranians are demanding the return of the corrupt, megalomaniac Shah to Iran to answer for his crimes against his people. The film is not biased as it does mention the excesses of the Shah and his corrupt household including his wife that embodied these corrupt excesses by having milk baths as the poverty stricken populace was forced to forage for food like mangy street dogs. Most of the corrupt leaders of the world indulge in these excesses but because the populace is making money they tend not to notice. The protesters break down the barriers of the embassy and force the members of the embassy to burn and shred important documents however amidst the pandemonium six employees at the embassy manage to escape and seek refuge at the Canadian embassy.  It is up to homeland security associated with the CIA to discover a way out for these six whom the Iranian revolutionary guard are actively seeking so as to add to the list of the hostages already captured at the embassy during the rout. One particular CIA member, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck), who specializes in getting people out of hostile situations such as this, chances upon an opportunity to use the guise of a false film production team scouting for locations as a means to infiltrate Iran and rescue the six employees of the US embassy that are housed as refugees at the Canadian embassy. Should they be found it is possible that they will be executed by the Iranian revolutionary guard. How the guise of the film production is used to get these people out is well executed and filled with taut like suspense throughout  towards the end where it meanders a bit in wrapping up the story.  The plan is thorough particularly  as Mendez along with his supervisor Jack O’ Dannell (Bryan Cranston) has to enlist the aid of a  film producer such as Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman), the establishment of a fake production company, a press release and the assignment of roles to the six escapees. Mendez seems like a man on a mission, a solitary man who is thorough at his job; so thorough it seems that he has isolated his wife and child. He assumes, at first, an inscrutable position but even he has to deal with the pressure as he too puts his life on the line and has to contend with a particular exiled member Joe Stafford (Scott Mcnairy) of the US embassy escapees who refuses to trust him at first. That relationship between Mendez and Stafford is the best relationship established throughout the film and it is effective particularly in one crucial moment of the film.  This relationship makes the film effective and ensures that it has some dramatic license because had it been merely an historical retread then it might not have been as suspenseful as a result of this relationship. It put some brakes on the breakneck speed or the momentum that the film gathers as the story progresses.

What’s good about this film?

The best thing about this film is the many layers presented and the ability of the director and the screenwriter to condense the historical material in truly entertaining fashion. I admired the means of introducing the film through illustrations documenting the history of Iran which was once the home of the mighty Persian Empire prior to the introduction of the Islamic empire under the Abbasid and Umayyad empires. It also documents the main leaders of Iran during the 20^th century that were able such as Mossadegh who nationalized the oil industry, the corrupt Shah that profited from the surplus extracted by the workers in service to the  American capitalist oil companies and Ayatollah Khomeini who was the face for the Islamic revolution of 1979-where Iran is proclaimed an Islamic republic- when the film begins. Both Jimmy Carter and Khomeini play their game of politics as those on the ground throughout the bureaucracy must put their ideals into action. This is where the film takes place because through the bureaucracy we watch these nations go head to head whereas the other means would be direct military conflict. The storming of the embassy, the escape of the six employees from the embassy and their eventual housing by the Canadian government that receives credit for the eventual escape was all well executed by Affleck and his team. The Canadians were credited with the escape so as to avoid further escalating tensions with Iran which would put the other American hostages that were captured at the embassy in further jeopardy. This is all well executed and explained and so this film can actually serve as a historical document regardless of the dramatic licenses taken and the skewed humour. This can serve as material for historians prepared to examine the diplomatic crisis between Iran and the US during this period. The film itself is not biased because the Iranians are not treated as inferiors but as capable and worthy adversaries and this is why the tension is made evident as the dramatic escape attempt unfolds. As Mendez warns, members of the revolutionary guard were trained in the US and so the third and last checkpoint of the airport would be the most significant hurdle to be faced. There is also a significant scene where Mendez is selling his false B film production to an Iranian official, who must send the documents to the cultural ministry for approval, who says when he hears about the film that deals with aliens and the use of Iran as a location of ‘snake charmers and flying carpets’. This is one of the great references to the Islamic revolution which was essentially a cultural revolution in response to the infiltration of American culture under the corrupt shah who profited by the mass exploitation of the workers in the oil industry by taxing them heavily. The official informs Mendez that before the cultural Islamic revolution most of the cinemas showed pornographic material which was testament to the corrupt American influence which is supposedly democratic.

The portrayal of the B movie industry was also well documented. I liked that Mendez was inspired by the great B movie film The Planet  of the Apes.The reference to creating a Star Wars (1977)rip off is classic. It is classic because it grounds the film within that particular time. The interaction with the elements necessary to get a B movie production off the ground is also wonderful to behold in all its simplicity and directness when film producer Lester Siegel encounters a worthless screenwriter-who he must convince to sell the rights to the film Argo- that delights in creating worthless, forgettable B movies. The creation of the press release and the film production company also demonstrated the level of depth in this film which could only come out of a real live event or a moment in actual historical time. You cannot imagine all of this without the internal logic required to fill gaps in such an exercise. There are some humorous exchanges courtesy of Lester but it is all superficial and only meant to make these characters endearing but it is welcome for those into that sort of thing.

The cinematography on display is magnificent and this film will be nominated in this category. When you see that spectacular shot of Istanbul, Turkey or the shot of Iran as the plane lands into Tehran then you will understand what I am talking about. All of the main characters seem grounded in their elements except Ben Affleck who stands out too much in the fore ground and his acting is not as great as his skill in directing. The art direction is also superb as the film captures a period in time such as the vehicles, the architecture and modes of dress for the late 1970’s and early 80’s.

The fate of the six escaped members of the US embassy is well documented. The sorrow of despair and the joy of hope realized is all documented here and highlights that it is a process that must first be set into motion. This is played out significantly when Joe Stanford initially refuses to cooperate with mendez because he does not trust particularly when Mendez gives him a false name when the two first meet and even admits it simply because he is a CIA operative. This stalls the escape attempt briefly but eventually there is a compromise and the humanity of Mendez as a CIA operative is revealed when he admits his true identity and so bridging the gap. The process where the six refugees have to master their false identities as a Canadian film crew is also absorbing and technically efficient without it being dull particularly when you take into account that mastering this identity is the difference between life and death. We see this in one of the most dramatic scenes where the one at first most reluctant displays mastery in deceiving the revolutionary guard particularly with his knowledge of Farsi.  Most people were sceptical of the plan probably because it was based on a B movie production and such a plan was never executed before. We see this when the plan is scrapped by the secretary of state, in favour of military intervention, and is only executed when Mendez disobeys orders because he refused to forsake his fellow citizens. Had he not disobeyed orders they certainly would have been found out.

We get to understand that these are ordinary people and despite all the corruption inherent in the American system we must sympathise with their plight to some extent. It will be difficult to resist being caught up in the suspense. even the CIA through Jack O' Dannell who must try and negotiate the bureaucracy so as to preserve the livelihood of his soldier in the field of battle. The issue related to the award presented to Mendez near is testament to the complexity of  relations between the US and Iran during this period. This film is relevant in light of tensions between the two countries today. The release of the film is timely in light of the US seeking to infiltrate through  drone attacks and economic sanctions because of fears of Iran's nuclear programme. the film definitely highlights that the Iranians are to be taken seriously. The US cannot invade Iran without serious consequences.

The images of Ayatollah Khomeini and Jimmy Carter loom over this film like great monoliths that are the embodiment of this conflict particularly the former whose poster seems like a truly influential personality without being seen. 

Affleck improves remarkably over his last superficial effort The Town (2010) which barely matches this current film in terms of depth. He is certainly a director to be reckoned with in the future and if he keeps up the good work exhibited here it is only a matter time before he scoops the gong of best director.

The use of Iranian music also emphasized the context developed throughout this film. It blended in seamlessly.

What’s bad about this film?

The only problem with this film is the dramatic license taken with the historical material and so at times it does seem superficial particularly the character of Lester who seems endlessly repetitive and loses all distinction as he becomes caricaturized as a means of standing out ‘Argo go fuck yourself’ becomes a bit stale over time because it does not mean much. When he endlessly repeats this it becomes mind numbing. He loses force as a historical character and while I admit that with fiction one is tempted to take licenses and therefore exhibit the quirkiness of a character it is clear that although this is a movement in time peopled by special characters that made it happen it is still necessary to make them stay grounded. If they are no longer necessary get rid of them or leave it to the final statements. Characters resonate more after they make their impression and leave.

Affleck should stand behind the camera instead of being up front on screen. This would have made the historical document of this film seem more complete and so make the character distinctive without us seeing Affleck front and centre acting. The other characters meld in but not so Affleck although you need a star to push a film like this. This is an example of dramatic license taking centre stage. The character would have been more sympathetic if it did not look like Affleck seeking sympathy from the wife and son which is not as affecting in this film. The return home could have been enhanced earlier by making reference to the return home and so that dramatic license would have been more affecting towards the end. It seems too formal near the end. Affleck tried this in The Town and it did not work and so he needs to work on this element of his story (no it should not be history). The motif associated with the return home is clearly something that Affleck wants to emphasize in his films but it will come in time don’t try and impose it on the film. If he wanted to emphasize the homecoming the character should have been placed front and centre after all the introductory scenes. An external observer could have commented on the urge for man to return home after his sojourn into the wilderness. It would have enhanced the dramatic qualities by being able to point to this ordinary man putting his life on the line for the government and the citizens of his country.  Something like that would obviously seem melodramatic in the proceedings of the actual escape but it is necessary if you want to evoke some emotion. It is difficult and the subtle approach is probably best here but if the audience was able to be cognizant of the sacrifice of this individual then it would be evident and the emotion would come through. It is evident but it is lost to some extent by the escape which is the most engrossing element. Some external comment was required to drive the point home on behalf of Mendez. This is not a major complaint but the family affair seems more like an afterthought and demonstrates the incompatibility with the historical logic demonstrated in this film and the dramatic license that seems imposed from above.

The movie would have seen prosaic had it not been based on historical fact. This demonstrates the value of history because the facts cannot lie and no one can protest its inaccuracy on the basis of the presentation. One would see the film receive lower ratings on the basis that it was a mere thriller had it not been based on a historical event.

The idea was so crazy that it could only be real. Nothing is crazier than real life when it is thrust into your face so expertly.

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This is one of the year’s best films

Movie Moments: The first fight between Bane and the Batman in The Dark Knight Rises

Throughout the Christopher Nolan Trilogy we have been accustomed to seeing Batman have his way physically against his opponents. Batman seemed invincible from that point of view and this was reinforced in the period of consolidation that was shown in The Dark Knight (2008) when the mob and the police came into a direct conflict. Batman seemed to dominate the landscape with his gadgets and physical strength; this was reinforced in the opening scene when he bends the barrel of a shot gun with  apparent ease and authority. Batman also held the mob boss Maroni off the edge of a fire escape in mid air with apparent ease. Batman’s physical presence was so overwhelming that the Joker could only counteract his assaults by brushing them aside with humour and this is demonstrated famously in the interrogation room where Joker and the Batman share one of their famous conversations. During the interrogation it is discovered that the Joker and his mob hench men are holding Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes captive. Batman assaults the joker physically in order to coax him into confessing the whereabouts of the captives however with each strike of the batman’s fist the joker shrugs it off with maniacal laughter. He states ‘You have nothing to threaten me with; nothing to do with all your strength.’ The joker throughout The Dark Knight tried to coax batman into revealing his identity by threatening him physically with the lives of other ordinary citizens. He could not directly confront Batman physically and remove the mask for instance even after their famous encounter in the streets of Gotham- where batman on his bat pod refuses to kill the joker and is thrown from it as a result- when the attempt of Joker and one of his soldiers to remove the mask from an unconscious batman is thwarted by a built in security device that electrocutes the soldier who made the attempt to remove the mask. Jim Gordon was there in time to arrest the joker however it is clear that his attempt to remove the mask of the batman was a failure simply because he did not have the physical means to do it. He relied on theatricality and menace in order to terrify the citizens so as to coax batman into removing the mask. The reality is that once batman reveals his identity his legendary status is compromised because to the ordinary man batman would be just someone playing dress up and acting out  his fantasies like children do at Halloween. The mask itself was never removed and so batman was able to maintain his dominant position within Gotham city as an avenging angel of the night. That is until The Dark Knight Rises where he is unmasked by Bane who is superior physically. Their first physical encounter underscores that in order to break your opponent he/she must be unmasked or exposed as ordinary. Your opponent must be thoroughly defeated and denied any possibility of recovery. When your opponent is defeated the observers of this will acknowledge your superiority and his or her inferiority. Whatever made your opponent seemed sublime must be reduced to its ordinary dimensions and belittled and trounced thereby highlighting why they are not a match for you and why you represent the more progressive element. In their first encounter Bane humiliates and crushes the brand that batman represents. This is one of the most significant fights in movie history, from an artistic point of view, particularly if you are a fan of the Nolan Batman franchise ( I invite those to tell me about fights that have been portrayed so chillingly). It is certainly the best physical encounter throughout the entire batman franchise. This is the first time that we see Batman look so ordinary and this must be the point if we follow Bruce Wayne’s argument that anyone can wear the mask. This is why the first encounter between Bane and Batman is a significant movie moment.

Batman is on the hunt for Bane and enlists the aid of Catwoman/Selina Kyle who has knowledge of his whereabouts. He is on the hunt because Bane along with the aid of resources from John Dagget orchestrated the bankruptcy of Bruce Wayne by having him make speculative trades that were destined to fail and cost the company a lot of money. With his fortune gone the world around Bruce Wayne is shrinking and so he must put an end to the deleterious maneuvers of Bane and Dagget. Lucius makes him aware that he can only prove fraud on Dagget’s part in the long term and so the only option Batman has, immediately, is to go after Bane. Bane (and Talia) anticipates Batman going after Dagget and so kills him after his woman, Miranda Tate, takes over Wayne enterprises. Batman then decides to go after Bane. Before they enter the sewer system Selina Kyle warns Batman that the men he will encounter are not ordinary brawlers and Batman contends that ‘Neither am I’. They defeat several of Bane’s soldiers and the momentum does seem to be with Batman and after 8 years out of action it seems as if he is getting back into his groove. With the momentum he seems to be gathering with every thug he defeats  this should seem ominous for Bane himself. Bane might have to start packing like any other ordinary criminal encountering the batman would do. After defeating the ordinary soldiers Batman and Selina Kyle seem to be striding almost in unison until she allows him to enter bane’s headquarters and locks him in making him aware that she betrayed him for her own safety. He is caught and Bane’s strategy is revealed by having Batman cornered like a rat in a trap. This is the first step when you seek to thoroughly defeat your opponent. He is isolated now particularly as his world is crumbling around him financially. Batman needs a lot of money to keep his operation going. Batman getting caught in a trap seems unlike him but in other situations he would be able to fight himself out of it. This is because his opponents could not over power him physically. In this case he is encountering someone physically superior. 

Right before the fight starts there is a brief exchange between the two because Batman is still confident when he says to Selina Kyle, ‘You made a serious mistake.’ Bane responds ‘Not as serious as yours, I fear.’ Batman turns to face him and says ‘Bane.’ ‘Let's not stand on ceremony here, Mr. Wayne.’ This is very important because this is Bane psychologically unmasking batman by revealing his identity and making it clear that he is encountering a man in a bat suit as opposed to some overwhelmingly powerful symbol that is meant to instill fear. When an ordinary criminal confronts batman he is already at a psychological disadvantage because in his mind he is encountering an invincible symbol that is renowned for instilling fear in people with similar occupations associated with so called criminal behaviour. Bane on the other hand sees the man behind the mask and so he now has the psychological advantage here over batman. After Bane says this he steps towards batman and his weighty physique is evident as he approaches for we hear the thuds or reverberations along the narrow passageway or bridge over the base at the lower level of his head quarters in the sewers.  Batman  advanced first but on the back foot and so Bane has another advantage here because the one who seizes the moment is more likely known as the one in control. The advance made by Bane suggests that he is in control of the situation and there is no reason for him to not advance because he is confident that nothing can hamper his advance towards the batman. It is clear that it worked because batman lashes out with a two fisted punch where his upper body is arched to throw more weight into the delivery. In The Dark Knight this attack sent the joker flying in their first encounter but Bane is hardly affected by this attack because Batman is reacting negatively to the psychological advance made by Bane. He tries to dislodge Bane's arms, that remain stuck holding his lapels, or the area that covers his chest on his military fatigue, after the two fisted act was not very effective. Batman then makes a couple swipes at Bane with the back of his hand however when he attempts to make a direct punch to Bane's face catches both fists (this is important for the second fight). After he does this bane says ‘Peace has cost you your strength [first fist caught]; victory has defeated you[second fist caught].’ He caught Batman’s fists as if he was fighting a wimp and directs that energy back at Batman by using the fists he caught and initiating an attack of his own The advance made by Bane is uncanny throughout the entire Nolan trilogy. As a member of the audience I was struck by the audacity of Bane because this advance made by Bane and the unfamiliar ‘rat in a trap’ position of Batman was a bit unnerving even though I wished to see the latter beaten and taught a lesson because throughout the Nolan series Batman seemed, at times, more like an enforcer for the police force. Batman deflects Bane's attack and even gives Bane a mighty head butt that hardly makes an impression ( another criminal would be prepared to surrender after such an attack). After the failure of that head butt to dislodge Bane Batman reacts negatively by almost gasping with a growl which is also uncanny for the Batman because in his mind another man would have been ‘pissing his pants’ after such an attack but not Bane.   Bane is not nearly as nimble but when he strikes it is heavy and calculated. He relies more on the quality of his attack rather than on a flurry of hits which batman was using negatively and ineffectively so as to fight himself out of the psychological trap set by Bane. Bane relies on absorbing the attacks of the opponent so as to counteract more effectively. After Bane’s brief attack batman again responds and Bane allows him to again pummel his face with wild swings from his fists and expend his energy futilely. After Bane absorbs the energy from these blows he delivers a back hand at batman after deflecting a kick and then gives him one good kick that sends him over the rails. Batman uses his cape to soften the landing. This is symbolic as the batman is now sinking deeper into the trap. Bane uses the  chains suspended in the air from the narrow passageway above to climb down in haste so as to keep the momentum in his favour. He grabs the batman and slams him against a column but batman still has more fight in him and he deflects Bane’s onslaught by repeatedly punching Bane’s chest which must be as hard as rock. Bane allows Batman to again expend his energy when he repeatedly slams his fists into Bane’s chest. Bane knows that batman is weakened because while he is repeatedly punching Bane he does so as if he is gasping for air because he seems to be grunting or panting in his attempt to break Bane’s seemingly dominant physique. Bane counteracts with one overhead punch that sends Batman sinking to the ground and this again emphasizes the quality of Bane’s attack. He gives Batman a kick for good measure because he can but he knows that the batman is not finished yet because he has not reached the state of desperation which is the last resort when defeat looms. Batman scrambles up the small stair of a small bridge over a drain where water is flowing, so as to be able to place some distance between himself and Bane and to assume a fighting position. We see Bane climb that same stair ominously and as he moves unflinchingly towards the batman with no fear of this great superficial symbol we see something extraordinary: Batman screams in anguish or in a rage which is associated with his anguish. The attitude Batman demonstrated throughout the previous two films in the Nolan franchise was that he was in control of the situation for the most part; he was always the steady element amidst a sea of panic and so to scream in such anguish is startling. Bane knows that he has him for when you force your opponent to scream out in a rage then they are defeated mentally and so whatever security they have is gone. Batman delivers a wild swing which Bane evades and repays Batman’s weakness with a flurry of punches starting with a crunching elbow to the left ribcage and ending with him using his fists to make the knees of the batman buckle under the pressure; he follows it up with a mighty kick that sends Batman down the stairs to the other side of the platform.

The desperation is now evident as Batman throws some explosives or the explosive ninja dust, introduced to him by Ra’s Al Ghul, at Bane. This would terrify any other opponent who would assume that it could kill or cause serious bodily harm and so they would scamper or hide. Bane stands his ground and reminds the batman when he says ‘Theatricality and deception; powerful agents to the uninitiated but we are initiated aren’t we Bruce; members of the league of shadows.’ He says this as he approaches and eludes another wild swing from the batman and holds him aloft by the neck with one arm; he continued to attack the left rib before he held him aloft. 'And you betrayed us,' Bane continues. This alone would make Batman aware that Bane is the strongest villain he has ever come across even stronger than Ra’s Al Ghul or may be on the same level as the former master. Batman responds in a pathetic fashion particularly considering the position he is in when he says to Bane ‘"Us"?You were excommunicated by a gang of psychopaths.’ Bane looks intently and then pummels him some more in the left ribcage and throws him to the ground and it seems that Batman was trying to gain some psychological advantage. Bane tries to regain the advantage when he responds ‘ I am the league of shadows here to fulfill Ra’s Al Ghul’s destiny.’ This seems to infuriate the batman because he thought he defeated that organization and here it is resurgent. Batman attacks Bane by charging and then and have him thrown to the ground on his back. The Batman continues to pummel Bane with his fists; Bane absorbs these for a time and then gives him one head butt and throws him off. Bane says  after this ‘You fight like a younger man with nothing held back; admirable but mistaken.’ Bane therefore tells Batman why he has lost the fight. When your opponent is close to being vanquished you are allowed to condescend when you speak to them thereby making them cognizant of their inferiority. Batman resorts to his last opportunity for survival when he switches off the lights; this weapon would normally befuddle ordinary opponents and so he hopes that Bane will begin to panic. Bane has all bases covered however when he says ‘Oooh so you think darkness is your ally? I was born in it, molded by it. I never saw the light until I was a already a man and by then it was nothing to me but BLINDING.’ He catches Batman by the neck and gives him a mighty  punch to the chest that sends Bruce Wayne tumbling to the ground in ignominy. Bane continues while he does this ‘The shadows betray you because they belong to me.’ He punches the mask of the batman five times and we see and hear it crack under the pressure. This is what the joker could not do with all his charisma. The final nail is hammered when Bane says ‘I will show you where I have made my home whilst preparing to bring (true) justice (here he receives the detonator) and then I will break you.’ Batman, looking up amidst the water pouring from above, realizes that Bane and his mercenaries are located beneath Wayne tower particularly the division of applied sciences which he was so desperate to keep out of the hands of his enemies. Bane sets off the explosives and we see the tumbler crash to ground from above ‘Your precious armory gratefully accepted,’ says Bane ‘We will need it.’

Batman gives his last gasp and raises himself up and Bane looks on in false astonishment when he says ‘ Aah yes I was wondering which would break first: your spirit or your body.’ He lays Batman low with a knee to the abdomen, after another wild swing, and a fist to the face that sends him crashing to the ground. Bane then lifts the body of the Batman in the air over his head and then drops him on his knee thereby breaking his back. Bane then removes the mask and Selina Kyle cannot believe as evidenced by her reaction.

Bane completely unmasks the Batman and  so exposed all that made him sublime. As the Nolan batman trilogy is the most significant from a superhero perspective this fight is a significant movie moment.