TRAITOR
US, 2008, 114 minutes, Colour.
Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Said Taghmaoui, Neal Mc Donough, Jeff Daniels, Archie Panjabi, Alyy Khan, Raad Rawi.
Directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff.
Traitor is both interesting and topical.
Those expecting a slam-bang action film will be very disappointed because this is a psychological thriller that takes us inside the minds of terrorists, their motivations, their plans, their ruthlessness for their ideology and their hatred for their enemies.
A prologue in the Sudan 1978 sets up the dynamics of terror, hostility and vengeance. A young boy, Samir, sees his father killed in an explosion. The scene moves to the present in Yemen where Samir (now Don Cheadle in an intense and earnest performace) is selling Semtek to an internationally organised terror organisation. He is treated with suspicion and caught and imprisoned with Omar (Said Taghmaoui) when they flee from a police raid. An escape is arranged and Said becomes involved in several terrorist attempts, especially on the American consulate in Nice. He is identified by the FBI and becomes a marked man.
Two FBI agents (Guy Pearce and Neal Mc Donough) visit him in prison and continue to investigate him when they return to Washington.
In the meantime, Samir's travels include a visit to London to visit the European commander of the group and then to Canada where he meets the head of the organisation. These men and Omar are not presented as ranting fanatics. Rather, they are cool and calculating in their plans as well as their beliefs – but are no less deadly than the vocal Jihadists. However, as with the training of and orders for suicide bombers, these heads sit back in comparative comfort as they send their bombers to destruction and their own deaths.
There are shifts of perspective on Samir as the film progresses, especially with a secretive agent played by Jeff Daniels.
Ultimately, there is a cleverly conceived plot to blow up a number of targets on Thanksgiving Day with Samir supplying the explosives to suicide bomber sleepers who have been planted in the US with student visas and other documents.
Whether or how the plan succeeds means that you will have to see the film.
It is an interesting exploration of a man deeply committed to his cause, a religious man, a devout man who is prepared to risk his life for his beliefs.
1.A topical film? Terrorism in the 21st century? The role of the United States? The United States as target? International repercussions? The Muslim world, Muslim culture, Muslim religion? The contrast with American religion – and the Baptists?
2.The international locations, the striking colour photography? The Sudan, Yemen, France, London, the range of cities in the United States, Canada, Halifax? The impact of this variety? The musical score?
3.The prologue in Sudan: the father and son, Samir and his admiration for his father? His father’s writings, teaching his son chess, culture? The explosion? Samir and his reaction, audience assumptions about his attitude and his future conduct?
4.Samir as an adult, in Yemen, with his vehicle, the semtex, SHOULDN’T IT BE SEMTEX)? Trying to meet his contact, Omar blocking him? The appointment, suspicions? His friend, the discussions, the preparation for the bombings? The attack by the police, the deaths, the chase, his arrest, with Omar, in prison? His devout prayer in prison? The treatment, the rival gangs in the prison, his being bashed? Omar standing by him? The escape in the van after the explosions?
5.Samir as religious, his prayer, his knowledge of the text of the Koran, the spirit of the Koran? Information about his life, going to America, serving in Afghanistan and Bosnia, knowing explosives, learning his religious roots?
6.Roy Clayton and Max Archer? FBI, in Yemen, not officially, confronting Samir in the prison, Archer punching him? Clayton’s more peaceful stances? Their return to Washington, beginning the investigation, getting the information, Samir as the target? The explosion in Nice? Their travelling to Europe, the interrogations? The pressure on the captured terrorists? The explosion on the beach in Spain, getting the driver? His giving information? The money launderer in Los Angeles and his identifying Samir? The travel to Chicago, the pursuit of Samir, taking Chandra, the interrogation, Samir going into the apartments, his ambushing Roy, the discussion, not killing him? The discovery of Carter’s dead body? Samir’s escape? Roy receiving Samir’s message, realising the truth, the threat on Thanksgiving, going to Halifax, saving Samir?
7.Roy in himself, his studies, religion, Baptist background, not violent? Studying Arabic and reading it? His contrast with Archer, the old-style tough FBI agent? The end and the discussion with Samir?
8.Samir’s plan, the bombing in Spain, going to Nice, getting work, the security badges, arranging the blast, the report of the deaths, the fake bodies? The television monitors identifying him?
9.Going to the United Kingdom, Fareed and his authority? The meetings? Omar and his presence and support? The circuitous route in buses and underground to meet Carter, the audience learning the truth about his being in deep cover? The effect?
10.His going to Canada, entering the United States? The contrast with Omar and his truck from Mexico? Collecting the money in Los Angeles? Meeting Nathir? His authority, plans? The number of bombs, contacting the sleepers? The sleepers themselves and the variety of places where they were? The plan for the emails? Going to Chicago, meeting Chandra, trying to get her out of the situation? Fareed and his doubts? The spy in the FBI? Discovering that Samir was on the ‘most wanted’ list? At the computer, the sending of the email, taking out the connection, switching the emails? The escape to Canada? Meeting, in the boat to take them to Europe? His going to take the air, the guard, his shooting Nathir and Fareed? Omar and his pleading? Samir shot, the FBI rescuing?
11.The plan, the variety of sleepers, the way of contact, their loyalty as suicide bombers, all going on the same bus, the cutting to them from the boat in Canada, their looking at their watches, setting the bombs? The explosion?
12.The email to Roy, alert for Thanksgiving, going to Halifax?
13.Omar, as a person, from France, in Yemen, part of the group, his suspicions, his friendship with Samir, prison experience, their friendship, travelling together, the email and Samir deceiving him? The end, pulling the gun? Samir explaining that they had been used by Nathir and Fareed?
14.Carter, secret agent, no trace for Samir, the meetings in London, in America, Samir and his reaction to people being killed? Omar killing Carter?
15.The topical nature of the themes, ideologies, confrontations, death?
16.Chandra, relationship with Samir, love for him, the meeting in the park, her jogging? Upset, believing that he was a terrorist? Interrogation by the FBI?
17.The reality of terror as seen in people who masterminded the plots, were the officers, were the plants, suicide bombers? The background of clever planning, moving through security? Weapons and ruthlessness?
18.The title – the reference to Samir, to whom was he a traitor?
