'The International' review

Clive Owen (Credit: Jay Maidment/Sony)

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An international bank appears to be involved in organized crime, weapons dealing and a whole lot of deaths, which attracts the attention of officials and law enforcement in Germany, Italy, the U.S. and more. Forget them, though; an Interpol agent (Clive Owen) and the New York assistant D.A. (Naomi Watts), of all people, are on the case.

The buzz: Between "The International" and "Taken" foreign operations sure aren't having a pleasant couple of weeks, PR-wise. But timely concerns of a world struggling to control money and weapons mean "International" has the chance to be a less ridiculous thriller. Plus, director Tom Tykwer ("Run Lola Run") knows how to get the pulse moving, and both Owen ("Children of Men") and Watts ("Funny Games") are almost always strong despite making their share of stinkers ("Shoot 'Em Up," "The Ring Two").

The verdict: Who knew bankers were as tough as gangsters? Too bad these villains—who boast transparent motives, a reckless grasp for power and not an ounce of diabolical cleverness—are so generic they may as well have been cooked up at the International House of Pancakes. There's only one bang-bang action sequence (a logic-free shootout in New York's Guggenheim Museum, not actually filmed there of course) and lots of dialogue that belongs in a fortune cookie. (Sample line: "Sometimes the hardest thing in life is knowing which bridges to cross and which to burn.") While an uncharacteristically out-of-sync Watts is always a half-step off of her required intensity, Owen's reliable resolve and Tykwer's crisp staging keep you watching and trying to convince yourself the film's better than it is. That's an argument you should be prepared to lose.

Did you know? One character remarks that when you're in a situation with no way out, the only solution is to find a way to get even further in. Thanks, that's really helpful.

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