WAR, INC

US, 2009, 106 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Marisa Tomei, Hilary Duff, Ben Kingsley, Joan Cusack, Dan Aykroyd.
Directed by Joshua Seftel.

This political satire was released at the beginning of the Obama administration, but with its critical overtones and undertones, relates more to the Bush era.

The film shows American business interests in the Middle East, in a fictional country called Turaqastan. There are oil interests, especially in connection with the vice president, played by Dan Aykroyd. In order to arrange business changes and manipulation with killing of a minister, an assassination, a hitman, played less than comfortably by John Cusack, is hired to go into the country incognito, to help organise a trade fair.

The hitman goes about his job but is becoming more and more disillusioned. The PR person for the trade fair is played by John Cusack’s sister, Joan with whom he acted many times. She has the capacity to enter more into the spirit of comedy and satire. There is also an inquisitive reporter played by Marisa Tomei who gets herself entangled with the intrigues, with the assassin and getting herself abducted. There are further complications concerning a Middle Eastern singer and her ambitions. She is played by Hilary Duff. And, ultimately behind the scenes, is the control, Ben Kingsley.

This is a film which depends on an audience mood. Those eager for some satire may relish the absurdity of the situations (as well as their connections to some realities) as well as some of the comic characterisations and dialogue. Others, of a more realist vein, may find everything just too far over the top. But that is the nature of the film as indicated by its title, War Inc.

1. Political satire? American supremacy? Asian victim countries? International corporations, arms, controlling war? Over-the-top?

2. The title, tone, war and business, arms dealing, contracts, American destruction – and rebuilding? Nations indebted to American help?

3. The time, the future? The nation of Turquestan, locations, travel, the bar, the trade show, technology? The musical score?

4. Hauser, John Cusack, as an assassin, killing the men in the bar, photographs, going to his voice control, his mission, setting up the trade show, Marsha as his assistant, keeping busy, Natalie and the press, interviews, his relationship with her? Television contact with the Vice President? Getting his orders from Control?

5. The mission to kill Omar Sharif? The setting up of the trade show – order and detail? The satirical touches – the dancing girls with the artificial limbs…? The climax for the wedding, Yonika, sexy, her singing routines, popularity, not always on key, her performance, her tantrums, relationship with her fiance?

6. Hauser, getting sick, dry-cleaning the coat, the flashback, wanting to quit his work as an assassin, Walken, the clash, the fight, Walken being shot, in the garbage truck?

7. Hauser, trying to cope with Natalie, her interviews, the relationship, sexual? Yonika and her behaviour towards him, his paternal interest?

8. Marsha, her role, busy, wisecracks?

9. Natalie, getting out, the card, getting the video, pornographic, leaking it to the press, the involvement in Yonika’s fiance?

10. Bhodi, the pursuit, the story of Hauser and his wife’s death, the daughter kidnapped, his killing Bhodi?

11. Natalie as hostage, Hauser saving her, the interview with Omar Sharif and not killing him, discovering Walken behind the glass, the control?

12. The revelation of Yonika as his daughter, the buildup to the wedding sequence, the fire, Walken dying?

13. The escape, in the plane, the missile, the Vice President and his future plans?