Traitor
The truth is complicated.

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Most movie reviews start with the movie, but I’d like to start my reviews with the trailers and other promotional materials. After all, let’s face it, we usually get pulled into watching a movie based on how the trailer looked. So, let’s get started with the trailer for Traitor.

I was very excited after seeing the theatrical trailer for Traitor, knowing that I was probably going to be able to screen it before it opened. The suspense conveyed in the trailer, along with the title of the movie, leave you wondering, “What side is he really on?”

Having watched the movie, I can say the theatrical trailer is only misleading in one aspect: The action. Even the later TV spots for Traitor have emphasized the action in the movie as being second only to the suspense. I’m sorry to say that this is not so.

Traitor is, indeed, very heavy on suspense, which is directly related to the drama unfolding between the characters on screen. Don Cheadle, as Samir Horn, proves to be a master of emotional expression and dramatic flair, as his character – a devout Muslim – stitches together the worlds of Islamic terrorism and Western espionage. Saïd Taghmaoui, as Omar, masterfully walks in the shoes of a terrorist group leader, providing the extremist point-of-view in his character’s interaction with Samir Horn. Guy Pearce and Neal McDonough, as FBI Agents Roy Clayton and Max Archer, push the story forward from the American perspective by attempting to capture the terrorist responsible for several worldwide bombings, and to hopefully prevent such a bombing in the United States.

I definitely spent most of the movie internally debating the alignment of Samir, while trying to fully absorb the underlying message behind the movie. I definitely didn’t predict the climax of the movie, and I left the movie very satisfied.

I would like to end this review with a summary of what I’ve taken away from this movie.

• Not all Muslims are Arabic, and not all Arabs are Muslim.
• Not all Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Muslim.
• A devout Muslim is not always a terrorist.
• Not all good things are done for good reasons.
• Not all good ideas lead to good outcomes.

I am proud to be an American, even if I’m not proud of the American government. I don’t hate Muslims, or any other religious group, and this movie explains why.