Argo (2012) [Blu-ray]
Drama | History | Thriller
Based on real events, the dramatic thriller Argo chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis, focusing on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood
played-information that was not declassified until many years after the event. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the
chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, the Canadian and American governments ask the CIA to intervene. The
CIA turns to their top "exfiltration" specialist, Tony Mendez, to come up with a plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.
Storyline: In 1979, the American embassy in Iran was invaded by Iranian revolutionaries and several Americans are taken hostage. However, six manage to escape to the official residence of the Canadian Ambassador and the CIA is
eventually ordered to get them out of the country. With few options, exfiltration expert Tony Mendez devises a daring plan: to create a phony Canadian film project looking to shoot in Iran and smuggle the Americans out as its production crew. With the
help of some trusted Hollywood contacts, Mendez creates the ruse and proceeds to Iran as its associate producer. However, time is running out with the Iranian security forces closing in on the truth while both his charges and the White House have grave
doubts about the operation themselves. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown on February 8, 2013 -- Argo and filmmaker Ben Affleck are on the march. The Golden Globes: Argo, Best Motion Picture Drama, Affleck, Best Director. Directors Guild of
America Awards: Affleck, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film. Producers Guild of America Awards: Affleck, Outstanding Producer of a Motion Picture. Screen Actors Guild Awards: Argo and Affleck, Outstanding Performance by an
Ensemble. Critics' Choice Awards: Affleck, Best Director. AFI Film Awards: Argo, Movie of the Year. Onwards and upwards. Argo and Affleck's ultimate destination? The 2013 Academy Awards. The problem? While the film received a Best Picture
nomination, and now looks to be a much more serious contender than once projected, Affleck didn't earn a Best Director nod, and rarely do the two awards part company. The signs are aligning, though, and they all point to Argo taking home Best
Picture, meaning Affleck's missing nomination is set to become one of the biggest Oscar oversights in recent memory.
But none of that really matters, does it? Awards are an honor, as most anyone in Hollywood will attest, but they're nothing more than a validation, and a subjective industry validation at that. The real question is: does Argo and, by extension,
Affleck deserve such accolades and acclaim? The answer: absolutely. Not only has Affleck proved himself a legitimate filmmaking force to be reckoned with -- yet again -- Argo is a tense, expertly crafted, masterfully acted adaptation of a harrowing
true story. Some have dismissed it as too slow. Others have called it overrated. I call it deserving; deserving of every nomination, award and ounce of praise it receives. I wouldn't go so far as to call it the undisputed best picture of the year, but it
certainly ranks among the best.
November 4, 1979. Militant Islamists storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran and take fifty-two Americans hostage. During the initial incursion, six men and women narrowly escape the embassy -- Bob Anders (Tate Donovan), Cora Lijek (Clea DuVall), Joe
Stafford (Scoot McNairy), Lee Schatz (Rory Cochrane), Mark Lijek (Christopher Denham) and Kathy Stafford (Kerry Bishé) -- and find refuge with a Canadian ambassador (Victor Garber). In the United States, the CIA scrambles to respond to the mounting
crisis, and begins secretly working to extract the six American refugees. The task soon falls to CIA specialist Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck). Under the watchful eye of CIA supervisor Jack O'Donnell (Bryan Cranston) and the help of Hollywood makeup artist
John Chambers (John Goodman) and movie producer Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), Mendez devises and develops a fake film -- Argo -- to use as cover. The plan? Fly to Iran, quickly establish the legitimacy of the production, "scout" for suitable filming
locations, and return safely home with his six-person "Canadian film crew."
With quiet, slowburn intensity, Argo cranks up the heat, notch by notch, with unnerving poise and precision. Affleck and screenwriter Chris Terrio (working from Mendez's own books and writings, among other sources) meld ensemble performance and
calculated pacing to nail-biting ends, transforming an already harrowing escape story into a powerful drama brimming with terrific turns from a terrific cast. Affleck only makes one negligible misstep as an actor -- the indulgent, warmly lit half-smile he
brandishes near Argo's close; a third-act staple shot in even his bleakest of films -- and one questionable decision as a director -- the down-to-the-wire takeoff, complete with back-room interrogations, the simultaneous off-site discovery of the
true identities of the movie crew, gunmen rushing to stop a flight and military vehicles pursuing a plane, all of which is, ironically, a bit too Hollywood for the film Affleck is making. Otherwise, the Man Without Fear delivers in front of the camera and
behind, and any suggestion to the contrary has more to do with the small but prevailing disbelief that Affleck's past cinematic sins (Gigli, Surviving Christmas, Reindeer Games, et al) are just that: a thing of the past.
Flanking Affleck is a wonderfully assembled cast with little to no interest in injecting sensationalism into a historical drama as restrained and measured as Argo. Goodman and Arkin have the most fun, and rightfully so, while Donovan and company
make the most of their roles as six frightened Americans minutes away from execution or torture at every turn. Back at the CIA, Cranston is outstanding, Kyle Chandler and Chris Messina lend resistance as needed, and every performance falls into place. No
one seeks out the spotlight (least of all Affleck), scene-stealing is all but off limits, and each actor retreats humbly to give others the opportunity to shine. Off screen, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, production designer Sharon Seymour and editor
William Goldenberg seamlessly blend carefully recreated sets and dressed locales with archive footage and news reels to blur the line between 1979 and 2013. Argo is, at times, as close to a documentary in tone and aesthetic as a docudrama can be,
and it's abundantly clear just how much attention was paid to authenticity. Argo may be at the center of the ongoing Best Picture debate, but there's little doubt that it's something special, as well as one of the standout films of 2012.
Trivia:- No Iranian actors could be used for the film, out of fear that they would be recognized by the Iranian authorities in the finished film, which could have negative consequences for their family still living
in Iran.
- It is stated that both British and New Zealand embassies turned away the six, leaving the Canadian as their only refuge. In fact the British embassy did shelter them for a few days but it was agreed by everyone that the Canadian embassy was the most
secure and suitable so they moved. A New Zealand official transported them and the British embassy helped other Americans trapped in the country at the time. Director Ben Affleck acknowledged that he intentionally deviated from the real events in order to
quicken the pace and build up the tension.
The trivia items below may give away important plot points.
- When the film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the film drew criticism that it unfairly minimized the Canadian government's role in helping the six Americans they were sheltering escape Iran. Affleck
eventually agreed and rewrote the postscript text noting that the CIA's operations complemented the Government of Canada's efforts and the affair has become an admirable example of international cooperation.
------------
[CSW] -4.4- Although this is a once-is-enough movie it is also a must-see movie. Based on true events and packed with stars, "Argo" is a political thriller about a life-or-death operation intended to rescue six Americans in Iran. On November
4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reached its height, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. In the middle of the crisis, six Americans steal away and find security in the home of the Canadian ambassador. However,
knowing it is only a matter of time before they are found, and the fact that they will likely be killed, a CIA specialist named Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with a plan to get them out. Fascinating stuff and definitely a must-see for Affleck fans.
Historically accurate and beautifully told, Argo keeps you wanting more with its urgent continuity and a plentitude of humor, until you do finally reach those long, suspenseful moments of the film's end. Meticulously cast and thoroughly adapted, Argo is
pleasantly surprising emotion filled film.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - D-Box 10/10.
º º