Traitor (2008) User Reviews (151)

An effective and thought provoking thriller thanks to Cheadle

[The_Amazing_Spy_Rises · 7/10 · 29 August 2008]

A few years ago, Don Cheadle rose to the top of the acting world with dynamite performances in Hotel Rwanda, the Ocean's series, Crash, and Traffic. He even got to fight in Rush Hour 2! So it should come as no surprise that Cheadle is electrifying and deep in this film, and it is his performance that makes the film what it is: a deeply engrossing political thriller that will definitely make the audience think about the movie, and of course, the current state of affairs in our world.

Traitor did a very good job of stepping on the audience's toes with some lines that could've been considered prejudiced, and then catching themselves with actual truths about the war in the Middle East, in addition to religions themselves. This obviously takes place in the dialog of the characters, particularly those of Cheadle and Guy Pearce. The film's dialog is well written, making up for the sometimes slow pacing scenes that take awhile to transpire.

I've already heaped my praise on Don Cheadle, but I'll do it a little bit more. One of the crucial plot points is the true allegiance of his character, and it is the subtlety of his performance that will keep you guessing what side he is fighting for, though when the answer is finally revealed, you'll think you knew all along. Some call this 'predictable'. I call it great acting. Guy Pearce delivers a winner of a show as well as the straight edge FBI agent chasing after Cheadle, though his character has been done to death, to be honest. Neal McDonough is somewhat annoying in a supporting role as Pearce's partner (though I think Neal is annoying anyway...), while Jeff Daniels is a nice addition to the team. I thought another great performance came from Said Taghmaoui, as Cheadle's terrorist partner. After one of the better villainous performances of the year in Vantage Point, Taghmaoui delivers a performance just as deep and riveting as Cheadle's. This guy is one of the more underrated performers around, and he should get more work outside of being a terrorist.

I like the character development within the script, but I have some issues with the pacing of the film, which I'll take up with our director. The film seemed slow at times, as I was constantly waiting for a particular moment to happen, while 5 pacing scenes would come in the way like a roadblock and just aggravate me a bit. It's nitpicking, but some of the action was a little nauseating because of the camera. STAND STILL, YO! A decent plot twist within the ending of the film doesn't hurt at all, and adds a great element of surprise and depth to some characters.

All in all, Traitor is definitely worth a watch if you're looking to see something different to escape what is usually the graveyard for films...August. Cheadle's performance alone is worth the ticket. Taghmaoui's as well.

Also saw a pre-screener

[richardseibert · 7/10 · 22 March 2008]

I was offered a ticket to a screener last Wednesday, and when I heard Don Cheatle was in it, couldn't pass it by. I am not a huge fan of action/suspense/spy movies, but this one was a cut above the normal. It was more intelligent, and delved a bit into motivations, beliefs, etc. of terrorists. I went into the movie cold, with no idea of the plot, and I recommend that. Most write ups I have read give away too much of the twists in the plot, which I was glad I didn't know beforehand. Don Cheatle was excellent, and so was Saïd Taghmaoui. It was also refreshing to see Hollywood recognizing the breadth of Muslim philosophy for once!

Tense film about terrorism with action , suspense and an amazing final

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 6 June 2010]

Thrilling and exciting movie about terrorism , spies and geopolitical issues . A firm believer in the Holy Quran, Samir Horn ( Don Cheadle ), American citizen and former soldier in Afghanistan, lives a middle-classed lifestyle along with his love interest , Chandra Dawkin (Archie Panjabi). He is actively involved in selling explosives to Jihadis. However he is trapped and meantime in a Yemeni prison, Samir is hit , and another inmate, Omar ( Said ), comes to his support . Both men become close friends, subsequently getaway from prison, re-locate to Marsielle, executing a massacre , and elude authorities for some time . Later on they re-enter the U.S., meet with other important terrorists , and together they scheme to place bombs in 50 Greyhound buses ,one for each State. Using internet and mail they recruit 50 volunteers to carry out this gruesome aim . Meanwhile, the super-powerful CIA uses technological-gizmo-surveillance satellites , super-computers for people spying and hound terrorists relentlessly. The CIA agents ( Guy Pearce , Neal McDonough ) scheme a plot to chase the mastermind terrorist . They form a shaky alliance with Carter ( Jeff Daniels ),the boss of Intelligence to break the terrorist ring whose objective is the bombing civilian targets . They try to stop cruel group who plans terrorist bombings by means an uncanny masquerade .

Story's core is interesting and script is dense with information and drama . The ultra-brisk editing and rapid scenes movement leaves little time to consider some inadequacies. The picture takes parts from ¨ The Siege¨ (98, by Edward Zwick with Denzel Washington,Tony Shalhoub) about the dangerous terrorism Arab in US ; ¨ Spy game ¨(2001, by Tony Scott with Brad Pitt and Robert Redford ) concerning the spy-world and ¨Body of lies ¨ (2008 by Ridly Scott with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe ) about sophisticated methods of the international terrorism . Don Cheadle , also producer , is the main attraction , he sustains interest in this tale of treason and terrorism . Guy Pearce and Neal McDonough are good as intelligent super-agents and Jeff Daniels's cool displaying a brief performance. The use of interesting messages to add weight to a romantic subplot between the terrorist and the Arab woman , though feels a little forced . The film packs adequate,evocative cinematography by Michael Muro and agreeable musical score by Mark Kilian with Arabs overtones. The motion picture is well written and realized by Jeffrey Nachmanoff . Rating : Above average, well worth watching.

Entertaining but nothing new

[valleyjohn · 7/10 · 25 December 2008]

Back in my youth it was always the case that movie bad guys were pretty much an uncomplicated bunch. The enemy used to be either Red Indians or The Germans. Then came the IRA (for us Brits ) and the Russians . Sinister foe's who were willing to go that one step further for their cause. Since 9/11 a far more fearful enemy has appeared on the scene. A brain washed enemy that is willing to die in the name of religion - The fundamentalist Muslims . Because of the terrifying prospect of what they have done and what they could do again , Hollywood have jumped on the band wagon and profited from a string of movies about the subject . None of which have been outstanding yet most have been entertaining. Traitor fits perfectly in that bracket .

When straight arrow FBI agent Roy Clayton heads up the investigation into a dangerous international conspiracy, all clues seem to lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn. A mysterious figure with a web of connections to terrorist organizations, Horn has a knack for emerging on the scene just as a major operation goes down.

The inter-agency task force looking into the case meets with Carter,a veteran CIA contractor who seemingly has his own agenda and Max Archer, fellow FBI agent. The task force links Horn to a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London, but a tangle of contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his quarry is a disaffected former military operative--or something far more complicated.

Obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue.

I like Don Cheadle. I can forgive him for one of the worst ever English accents in the Ocean's films because despite that he is normally very good at his trade. He was brilliant in Boogie Nights and i loved his performance Reign Over Me. His performance is probably the best thing about Traitor.

Although thoroughly entertaining , this film has nothing new in it to recommend it any more than say - The Kingdom or Body of Lies - and if you have seen either of those films you have seen Traitor.

It's good to see Guy Pearce too . A highly underrated actor who has hardly put a foot wrong since his days in the extremely naff Australian Soap Opera "Neighbours". His best performance to date being the lead in the stunning movie "Momento".

This film reminds me a lot of the US TV series " Sleeper Cell" . Don Cheadle's character is asked to basically do the same thing in this as Darwyn Al-Sayeed does did in that show.

To sum up traitor is 2 hours of fast flowing predictable fair that is hard to criticise but is also difficult heap praise on.

7 out of 10

Great acting, stupid movie

[jack_thursby · 6/10 · 3 November 2008]

"Traitor" is an attempt to take us inside a modern-day Islamic terrorist group by telling the story of Samir Horn (played by Don Cheadle). The movie leaves us guessing as to Samir's true loyalties as he gets involved in planning a major terror attack on the US, while FBI agent Roy Clayton (played by Guy Pearce) leads the government effort to thwart the plot.

On the positive side, the acting in "Traitor" is uniformly great, without standout performances from Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce as the lead characters. The direction and cinematography are at a high level as well.

So what's the problem with "Traitor" then? The problem is that "Traitor" can't decide what kind of movie it wants to be: a silly action movie, or an intelligent thriller. "Traitor" starts out as a slow-paced, intelligent, story-based thriller, but at the halfway point, it turns into a silly Hollywood action movie that unfortunately, doesn't have a lot of action.

A more consistent story would have made "Traitor" a better film. The first half of "Traitor" is quite compelling and effective as it establishes the characters and sets the story in motion. But as the movie enters silly action-thriller territory, all the tension and mood built up in the first half of the film is lost. And as mentioned earlier, there's simply not enough action sequences to make up for the foolish story.

It's a real shame that the movie makers didn't end "Traitor" with the same focus and determination with which they started it because the movie had a lot of potential.

Who is the traitor?

[Chrysanthepop · 6 June 2009]

I am surprised that someone like Steve Martin, known primarily for his comedic talents, came up with a story that is an intense thriller about terrorism. Clearly the man shows that he can do more than comedy and hats off to Martin. Storywise, this movie reminded me of 'The Departed' but, in my opinion, 'Traitor' is a stronger film. The writing is good. I just have a few quibbles regarding the terrorists' lack of caution and suspicion regarding Samir, whom they barely know. It is a well made film even though it moves a little slow at times. Don Cheadle does a solid job with a subtle, intense and studied performance. Clearly he has done his research and is very believable as a devoted Muslim. Saïd Taghmaoui too does a great job but he seems to be getting typecast. I would like to see him in different roles. Guy Pearce's Roy could have been formulaic but we see a knowledgeable man who is determined to get to the bottom of the problem but is patient enough to think it through and find out the truth rather than ordering the arrest of every random Muslim. Pearce adds a depth to Roy that makes the human stand out. Archie Panjabi makes the best of an underdeveloped Chandra. Overall, 'Traitor' is quite a clever film (for the most parts) and the twist in the end is quite well thought out. It is one of the lesser biased movies made on this subject and provides more than what I would expect from an action entertainer.

A well made thriller dealing with a very tricky subject.

[ajs-10 · 7/10 · 22 April 2010]

This film deals with terrorism, in particular terrorist acts performed in the name of Islam. As you can imagine, it's quite a tricky subject to make a movie about, particularly in this day and age. To a large extent, and going by my limited knowledge of the subject, I think the filmmakers pulled it off. The story follows two characters, Samir Horn, a devout Muslim, and Roy Clayton, an FBI agent, out to thwart the attempts of a particular group of Muslim terrorists that Samir is involved with.

Samir Horn was born in Sudan, North Africa, where he was brought up as a Muslim by his father, who was killed in a car bomb. Having immigrated to Chicago with his mother he became a soldier and trained as an explosives expert. Having served in Afghanistan he becomes radicalised and stays there after his tour of duty is over. The film picks him up in Yemen where he is visiting an old friend from Afghanistan and, at the same time trying to sell them some explosives. The compound is raided by the Yemeni police and Samir is arrested. Whilst in police custody he meets Roy Clayton and his colleague Max Archer, who try to get him to give them evidence of the terrorists in exchange for passage back to America. He refuses and ends up in a Yemeni jail. Here he is befriended by Omar, who was also at the compound and is deeply involved with a terrorist cell. They escape and head to Marseilles, southern France, where another bombing is planned but fails to take place. Meanwhile, Clayton and Archer are monitoring things trying to find Samir. He is their only lead to the terrorists. The group now moves to Niece where Samir successfully sets off a bomb at the American consulate. Moving again to London we get a hint that Samir is not all he seems when he meets a shady character called Carter. The plot then moves across the globe to Canada and then to the United States where a truly terrible act is planned. Samir is now clearly having a clash on conscience, should he follow his faith, or the terrorists. I could say a lot more about this very intriguing film, but I don't want to give too many spoilers away.

This is a pretty well made film, obviously on a limited budget, but I though it was well shot and some great locations were used. Very decent performances from all of the cast, honourable mentions go to Don Cheadle as Samir Horn, Guy Pearce as Roy Clayton (great accent), Saïd Taghmaoui as Omar, Neal McDonough as Max Archer, Alyy Khan as Fareed and Jeff Daniels as Carter.

As I've already said, this is a very intriguing film tackling a very delicate subject, which I thought was done pretty well. It's quite a taught thriller with plenty of plot twists to keep you watching. It did get a little bogged down in the last third, but over all I thought is was quite an exciting and thought provoking film, recommended.

My score: 6.7/10

Drama/Action -Not a Bourne Rip off- Very Good-

[smiplacer · 9/10 · 27 August 2008]

When I first saw the previews, I was expecting a bourne supremacy/bond film with whoooohoooooo action that makes you say "kill, kill, kill" and gets you all worked up. But this film is more drama/realistic and made me actually think about life instead of tuning it out. The action parts are very satisfying. Don Cheadle was great. If you are expecting something along the lines of The Marine, you will probably be disappointed. It is a little more mature than that. The movie surprised me in its creativity/originality with certain scenes. overall, it is a drama/thriller/action/spy that I found very satisfying. some people on IMDb were complaining that it was slow, which it was, but don't take that to mean that the film is bad. the movie is just more of a drama film than action at times. Go see it!!!

a movie with potential that loses its nerve

[Buddy-51 · 6/10 · 30 August 2008]

"Traitor" promises to be one of the first mainstream American movies to actually get into the mind of an Islamic terrorist, but about halfway through, it loses the courage of its convictions and opts for Hollywood artificiality instead.

Don Cheadle plays Samir Horn, a devout Muslim who supplies terrorist organizations with the materials they need to carry out suicide bombings. Guy Pearce is Roy Clayton, the FBI agent who is hot on Samir's trail through most of the movie.

Although this is fairly engaging as international cat-and-mouse chase stories go (the movie takes us from Yeman to Paris to London to Toronto to Chicago and a number of places in between), a crucial plot twist in the middle (I won't reveal what it is) seriously undercuts the aura of credibility the movie has managed to establish up to that point. The script is further compromised by a series of increasingly improbable plot points that eventually take the movie out of the realm of reality and deposit it right into the heart of movie-land fantasy, with the climax ranking as one of the most purely preposterous and almost laughable resolutions we've come across in quite some time (could this be the influence of Steve Martin, who, along with writer/director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, came up with the idea for the story?).

Cheadle and Pearce are both stolid and effective in their roles, while Said Taghmaoui acquits himself well as Samir's suicide bomber friend. The movie works hard at being fair to both sides of the conflict; thus, we're constantly being reminded that there are many more good Muslims in this world than there are bad ones, just as there are more good Christians than bad Christians and good Americans than bad Americans. And the movie does try to explore some of the mental and moral anguish taking place deep in Samir's tortured soul. But that midpoint compromise keeps "Traitor" from becoming anything more than just another Hollywood take on one of the more serious issues of our day.

Thinking Man's Spy Thriller

[ven2s · 9/10 · 26 September 2008]

I usually go to Malco's reviewers and then Rotten Tomatoes, to see what the consensus on a movie is. Well after going to see this movie with some very hardcore friends/critics, we all agree, the professionals are getting paid off! If it wasn't for the good amateur Malco reviewers, I would have missed a very good thought provoking movies. I disagree that this movie stereotypes its characters, they are anything but. The acting is rich, the character's are memorable, very great acting on all levels, especially the main characters, and respect is paid to traditional Islam as opposed to its radical splinter. About Cheadle's character, you may have heard his performance is wooden, that is untrue, he delivers a moving portrait of a tortured soul subjected to a traumatic past and exposed to soul rending choices. If you follow it, Traitor will offer an excellent, thoughtful, journey into the heart of a complex issue.

Forgettable, but Cheadle and Pearce raise it above mediocrity

[zetes · 7/10 · 31 August 2008]

Gripping but derivative thriller about terrorists and the people trying to stop them. Don Cheadle plays a Muslim who is a secret agent with the United States, under the supervision of a single man in the FBI, played by Jeff Daniels. No one else knows his true intentions, but he is connected to a terrorist organization by two other FBI agents, Guy Pearce and Neal Mcdonough. Cheadle has infiltrated these terrorists, lead by Saïd Taghmaoui, who also played a terrorist earlier in 2008 in Vantage Point, so deeply he's afraid that he'll have carried out attacks against the U.S. before Daniels gets what he wants. Traitor is clearly indebted to The Departed in its plot – no points for guessing what happens to Daniels eventually – and the Bourne movies in tone and style (although not nearly as shaky). It never transcends its influences, and is thus, in the end, generic and forgettable. I don't want to be too harsh, however. For a bit of mild entertainment, it's well worth seeing. The final twist is great, if initially confusing and unintentionally hilarious. And the performances are quite good. I saw it mainly for Cheadle, who, as far as I'm concerned, can do no wrong. Pearce is quite good, too.

Very Involving Thinking-Person's Story & Great Acting

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 31 December 2008]

This was an excellent movie, a very intriguing and topical story involving terrorism with the basic message that there are good and bad people everywhere, of all races, religions, sects, whatever. The question in this film, for at least half of the movie, is: "Is Samir (Don Cheadle) a good guy or a bad guy?"

I don't want to say too much in fear of spoiling anything because that could easily be done while discussing this film. Suffice to say that this will keep your interest for the full running time and is a thinking person's movie more than most.

Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Neal McDonough, Said Taghmaoui and Alyy Kahn are all fantastic in the lead roles. The direction and photography also is top-notch. Those who pick apart this movie are nit-picking because it's a very entertaining film while not overdoing the action or the stereotypical characters.

One thing that's odd about this film: it has very strong statements which will please both liberals and conservatives, both devoutly religious folks and atheists. It pretty much covers the field.

Drama and Suspense

[Uriah43 · 7/10 · 10 April 2014]

As a young child living in Yemen "Samir Horn" (Don Cheadle) experiences the death of his father in a car bomb planted by terrorists. Afterward his mother takes him to America where he grows up and eventually joins the army as a demolitions expert. After separating from the army he begins to sell explosive detonators to the highest bidder which eventually leads him to a Muslim terrorist movement in Sudan. Unfortunately, while a meeting is taking place he is arrested and sent to a prison and upon his escape joins a terrorist movement which has use for his skills. At any rate, rather than disclose the rest of the story and risk ruining the film for those who haven't seen it I will just that that this was a pretty good action film with some drama and suspense thrown in for good measure. I especially liked the performance of Don Cheadle who I thought played the part to near perfection. Above average.

War on Terror made easy

[Turfseer · 4/10 · 16 March 2009]

Samir Horn (Don Cheadle) is an African-American Muslim who was born in Sudan and witnessed the death of his father in a car bombing when he was nine. He's raised by his mother in Chicago and spends some time in the Army in Special Ops. Eventually he sees action in both Afghanistan (with the Mujahideen) and fellow Muslims in Bosnia. Samir shows up in Yemen posing as an arms dealer and trying to infiltrate a terrorist network for a rogue CIA operative. Through the recommendation of a mutual acquaintance, Samir hooks up with a terrorist named Omar but before you know it they both wind up in prison after being captured by Yemeni government soldiers working in conjunction with the FBI.

After Samir and Omar escape from the prison aided by terrorist sympathizers, they escape to France where Omar introduces Samir to Fareed Mansour, Omar's boss in the terrorist network. Fareed is no Mohammed Atta (fanatic ringleader of the 9/11 terrorists) but rather an urbane yuppie-type who thinks nothing of drinking alcohol in front of Omar and Samir (supposed devout Muslims). Fareed justifies drinking of alcohol (a sin in the Muslim religion) by stating that it's necessary to blend in to achieve victory as the ends always justify the means. Somehow Aly Khan, an actor of Indian Muslim ancestry, seemed more like a stock Hollywood villain than a representation of an actual terrorist.

Even less convincing is Samir's ideological disagreement with Fareed while they're having dinner at an outdoor café. Samir makes it quite clear that he feels that Fareed has misinterpreted the Koran to justify violence. It's obvious that the film's screenwriters are trying to make the point that Samir represents the MAJORITY of Muslims—that is, they are peaceful people who reject the methods of terrorists. Nonetheless, would Samir have risked blowing his cover by getting into an argument with the very man who he must prove his allegiance to? Omar ends up making excuses for Samir so he gets by—but the screenwriters cannot help but continually remind us (in the character of Samir) that the majority of Muslims reject violence (whether you agree or not with that idea, it just feels the point is made ad infinitum throughout the film perhaps in order to 'soften the blow' or 'balance things out' since the films' antagonists are indeed Islamic terrorists!).

Samir is depicted as a man who totally abhors the killing of innocents. However (and here is the big problem with the movie), he is willing to hook up with a lone rogue CIA operative (an intelligence contractor as he is referred to in the movie), a person who he knows virtually nothing about, and plants a bomb in the US consulate in Nice at the behest of this shadowy figure, which accidentally kills eight innocent people. It just seems that there are too many action-thrillers today that trot out the tired storyline of inter-agency government squabbling, especially between the FBI and the CIA.

How does this CIA guy pull off the bombing of the US consulate in France no less? To my recollection, most US embassies and consulates are pretty well-guarded. And why Samir would even take a chance in conducting an operation such as this when he knows that something could go wrong is beyond me.

While the rogue CIA operative must end up getting bumped off precisely because he is amoral and unprincipled, the FBI fares better here. The two agents, Clayton and Archer, are your typical good cop-bad cop characters. Archer is the bad cop and punches Samir a few times in an early interrogation scene in Yemen. But Clayton (Guy Pearce) is the 'sensitive' good cop—he majored in Arabic studies as an undergraduate and ends up receiving important information from Samir via email at a critical point in the film's story.

I'm not sure exactly how Samir pulls it off—and this is probably a first in the history in the fight against terrorism—he manages to arrange for 50 would-be suicide bombers to be on the same bus and they all blow themselves up at the same time. Then he also manages to shoot the two terrorist masterminds without any bodyguards being present (Note that the main boss, Nathir, again is no scary Mohammed Atta-type—but rather an ordinary businessman).

Traitor does a disservice in the fight against international terrorism. It makes it look all too easy with the good guys easily outwitting the bad guys. But in reality, terrorists such as the 9/11 conspirators were no pushovers; to remind everybody: they beat us—we didn't beat them! Some say that Cheadle's performance here was excellent. I would have to disagree. He comes off as too middle-class, too intellectual to be a former Special Ops guy who is able to infiltrate a gang of terrorists. All the preaching throughout the movie reminds me more of a college professor trying to convince a bunch of undergraduates that his cause is just.

In the end, 'Traitor' tries hard to be as politically correct as possible, arguing that the war against terror is not antithetical to the teachings of the Muslim religion. But it makes its argument in such a heavy-handed and obvious manner that the film becomes overly didactic. Coupled with a wholly implausible plot, 'Traitor' fails to convince us that we're watching a story that mirrors something that could have come close to happening in reality.

Undistinguished Genre Film

[evanston_dad · 6/10 · 9 September 2008]

Around this time last year, Hollywood became very interested in terrorism as a movie subject, and it made a whole slew of films about the war on terror, none of them very good but few of them egregiously bad.

"Traitor" could belong to that same group of films. It's a run-of-the-mill genre picture that uses the war on terror as a backdrop. It imagines a quite possible scenario -- a group of Muslim extremists infiltrate the U.S. and plan to coordinate fifty suicide missions so that fifty buses around the country will explode at the same moment. The man in charge of the mission (Don Cheadle) is actually working for the C.I.A, but the F.B.I. doesn't know that, so they're after him. Meanwhile, he's trying to keep his true identity as an informant from his fellow terrorists while at the same time suffering from increasingly frequent attacks of conscience -- in order to infiltrate the network, he must continue to carry out real attacks that result in the deaths of real people.

Don Cheadle is a tremendous actor, and he pulls off this material capably, but it's not worthy of him. The film is full of obvious moral observations, such as the thesis that the United States and the Muslim extremists aren't that different from one another, as both are willing to kill innocent people in their respective efforts to fight one another, and both claim that God is on their side of the battle. These are given lowest common denominator treatment, so that while the film is moderately exciting, it's not very intelligent. It's the kind of movie that fades from memory immediately after viewing.

Also starring Guy Pearce, perhaps the most versatile actor in the world, here playing a Southern Baptist F.B.I. agent; and Jeff Daniels, hopelessly underused as Cheadle's C.I.A. contact.

Grade: B-

Sacrifice a few. Save thousands.

[KineticSeoul · 7/10 · 9 November 2009]

This film has caught me off guard a few times. At first I thought Samir Horn(Don Cheadle) was trying to infiltrate the terrorist organization who are suicide bombers that believes in something like the Qur'an by earning there trust, but later it seemed that he was actually loyal to the terrorist organization or even a double agent. And thought it would show the film in the terrorist point of view from the main character, which probably wouldn't have sit right with most Americans. But later it is revealed that he does work for a organization that is trying to take down the terrorist group leader Nathir and get a hold of the terrorist plans. Even while playing this guessing game, I didn't feel cheated because it was well crafted and gave some clues. I found the whole premise of Samir going to prison in order to befriend Omar who is a member of the terrorist organization a bit over the top, but there is way more over the top stuff that happens in these types of genres. I found the joke about how the suicide bombers are on a mission to get laid with 72 virgins pretty funny. Since it is pretty much the truth, but the film shows that not every people that believe in Allah are bad people and even the revealing of Samir's past shows this, who is also a firm believer in Allah. In fact I didn't necessarily hate Samir or Omar, even if Omar is a real terrorist for some reason. Maybe because of his honorable ways while being courageous, although being courageous isn't necessarily a good thing. So basically agent Roy Clayton investigates a dangerous international conspiracy responsible for a prison break in Yemen, a bombing in Nice and a raid in London. And all clues seem to lead back to a former U.S Special Operations officer, Samir horn. But soon contradictory evidence emerges, forcing Clayton to question whether his suspect is a disaffected former military operative or something more complicated, like the movies tagline. I was expecting some flashy fast paced spy movie but it turned out different from what I expected in that, it has some good drama to go with the action in fact the film has more drama than action. The first hour of "Traitor" was simply great, but after the first hour it started to lose it's entertainment value and became a bit tedious. The parts after the first hour wasn't bad, but just wasn't good as the first hour of the film which kept me guessing. After the first hour, things start to get predictable, not that I knew what the ending was going to be or Samir's last plan, but I knew what direction it is going. The stupid character decisions that jeopardize the mission got a bit irritating as well, it just seemed illogical and irrational. It was a decent espionage thriller with few glitches to sum it up.

7.4/10

It Overcomes A Slow Start To Become Pretty Suspenseful By The End

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 20 July 2010]

After a bit of a slow start and a somewhat convoluted story, "Traitor" manages to overcome those weaknesses and becomes a decent suspense flick about the planning of a major terrorist attack on the United States, and the fight by various members of the law enforcement/intelligence communities to prevent it. You have a tendency to want to dismiss this as just a right-wing anti-Muslim film; then you have a tendency to think of it as a left-wing anti-American film; then you realize that the story (since it makes you think of both) is actually pretty balanced. The excesses of both extreme Islam and American actions around the world are both noted, but the proper critique is also made of both types of excess, leading to the conclusion that the writers knew their stuff and understood the basic principles that undergird both Islam and the United States, and aren't afraid to criticize those who would twist either set of principles for their own ends.

The movie revolves around Don Cheadle, who put on a great performance as Sadir, a Sudanese born American citizen. Sadir is a mysterious character. From the very beginning you question his loyalty - who is he really working for? What are his motives? In the end, you have the impression that while he's definitely working for one side over the other, he's much like the movie as a whole - he doesn't really support the tactics of either, and is really more committed to a higher cause of his own definition. The movie (as is common with these types of stories) includes a sometimes bewildering array of locations that makes it sometimes a bit hard to follow. There are scenes in Sudan, Yemen, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Mexico - maybe even a couple more that I've forgotten! That might well be an accurate portrayal of how these plots are developed but it's a bit confusing as you're trying to follow the story.

The plot is truly frightening. 50 Islamic extremists have been planted in the U.S. and are living normal lives (some married with children) waiting for their orders to put the plot into action. The plan is to simultaneously detonate bombs on 50 buses around the country to make the point that no one anywhere in the U.S. is safe. There's an interesting look at some of the strategies that might be used to communicate. As the point at which the plot is to be pulled off approaches, there's real suspense over whether it will be successful. Overall, this is a pretty good movie.

thoroughly enjoyed the film

[shutupDAAVE · 9/10 · 25 February 2008]

i was lucky enough to be part of the "first audience" to catch this at a pre-screening, and i have to say that i really enjoyed this film. i don't know anything else i could really say. it was suspenseful, had great twists, the acting was superb, and was a great story. Don Cheatle was amazing as ever, but i don't want to give away any spoilers at all so i wont say anything about the characters. what i will say is that Jeff Daniels for sure needed more character development. of course Guy Pierce was great, and what came as a semi-surprise was Saïd Taghmaoui's performance. very well-done by the cast and if Steve Martin is really the man who came up with the idea, he needs to keep churning 'em out. Traitor was a fit name for the film, and i would recommend it to all of you reading this.

9 1/2 out of 10

Intelligent and subdued.

[Otoboke · 22 September 2009]

When it comes to films about terrorism, the Hollywood market is one dominated by the exploits of cowboys and tough-headed, no-crap Americanism that one might get a kick out of every now and again if it doesn't take itself too seriously (Die Hard), but too often submerges any substance and truth to the situation by trying to please the popcorn-munching audience members too eagerly. Such ventures into the often complex and extremely conflicted area of politics, war and current social prejudices are subsequently left alone by those the film ostensibly tries to draw in (those looking for intelligent, insightful political drama) and instead adopted and loved by people riveted by your average Michael Bay movie. It's just about safe to say that those movies have their place, as most movies do, but that when you start mixing real-life affairs—and especially those linked to such acts as terrorism and religion—you begin unravelling something that really should be left alone if you're not going to deal with it in a dignified manner.

Traitor, which comes from director Jeffrey Nachemanoff (known for his script The Day After Tomorrow), certainly doesn't shy away from this sense of action that permeates the average political action thriller, but it isn't ruled or dominated by it either. Instead the movie exists as a tightly wound, exciting experience, but one that draws far more of its compelling moments from elements grounded in reality through both ethical discussion and the characters that drive the thing forward. The usual twists and turns in narrative are here (so much so that I'm consciously going to avoid giving any form of a synopsis for the sake of preserving vital turning points), but they refuse to submit to banal contrivances and absurd mystery tangents that take far too long to reveal themselves. Rather, Nachemanoff fools the viewer many times and keeps them guessing as to where all of this is going, yet never neglects them to being mere witnesses to a bunch of calloused details and bullets flying around the screen. The script is well paced and focused, with plenty of time-out segments that develop character and plot significantly, with little excess.

One could argue that perhaps Traitor is a little too long for it's own good; there are moments where the movie slows down to snail's pace for the sake of filling in plot holes and making sure the viewer is up to speed with what is going on, but such instances never become overbearing, nor do they drown out any tension developed up until that point. Yet without these points, Traitor wouldn't be quite the experience it is, mainly because a lot of the movie's ability to draw you in through its central characters, their moral dilemmas involving what they feel they have to do, and the repercussions of such actions. By tackling such detailed issues head-on, Nachemanoff makes sure to avoid the pitfalls of your common political thriller; the decisions presented here are presented exactly as such; there are consequences, there are doubts and there are conflicts inside and outside said people that manifest throughout and permeate the entire feature; Traitor dances with the people behind the FBI suits and the skull-caps, and it makes sure that they aren't mere action-movie caricatures for the sake of preserving its ultimate drawing point—reality.

Of course, a large portion of the movie's ability to suspend disbelief is through the performances of the central cast who embody their characters with a convincing sense of realism throughout. Here, nobody is safe, and a few important characters bite the bullet, yet often they will come and go without melodramatic excess, imbued with a dramatic but grounded temperament. While I could go on about each of the actors' performances here, it must be stated that the key portrayal comes from lead man Don Cheadle who reminds us once more of the talent he has for nuanced subtlety that he so obviously possesses. In the end however, it's this consistency in grit and cerebrally engaging tone that makes Traitor a far greater whole than the sum of its parts. By no means is it a perfect motion picture; as a movie it lacks an immediately definable structure that meanders from time to time, and the eventual conclusion does feel a little half-baked, but for the most part, Nachemanoff does well to craft an intelligent and subdued take on a genre too often obsessed with gung-ho escapades and mawkish sentiments.

• A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)

Very Good

[IanHackbarth · 7/10 · 28 August 2008]

"All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."

-Voltaire

"Traitor" is another movie in the line of Iraq war movies. And while this film does not directly deal in the actual war, it does deal in the war against terror, which I am pretty sure are the same.

Reminding me immensely of last year's "The Kingdom", "Traitor" follows the story of a Muslim man, Samir (Don Cheadle) who is actually a deep cover operative for a branch of the US government.

How does this remind me of "The Kingdom" you ask, well if you have seen that movie you know that it casts a sympathetic light on the otherwise slandered name of the Muslim. Both of these films show that not all Muslims want to blow Americans up.

Samir is a deeply religious man, who wants only to serve God, after being caught while trying to sell detonators to, who we can only call Terrorists, he is sent to prison. Now before I get to ahead of myself I have to let you know that the story gets sort of confusing at times, at least for me.

For instance I am not sure why, out of all of the people there, the FBI chooses to interrogate Samir, but maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention.

Without revealing too much I will just say that Samir escapes and gets caught up with a radical terrorist group that tests both his faith in God and in man in general. And of course the FBI is after him at every turn.

The FBI are Guy Pierce and Neal McDonough ,who to their credit do a very nice job, although it was a just a little too "Good cop, Bad cop" for the entire film. Perhaps my favorite character has to be Jeff Daniels who plays Samir's US contact. But that is just because I am a huge fan of his.

In summation this is a great thriller, if you can wrap your mind around the plot, with great acting. Unfortunately I do not foresee any Box Office records being broken, or Oscars being won, but if you are in the mood for a good ride then I would recommend "Traitor"

Gritty perspective on the war on terrorism

[Aguas · 9/10 · 1 September 2008]

Don Cheadle selected another excellent role for himself in a movie that tells the tail of Jihad from the Western and Muslim perspective. If you are expecting an action flick, this is the wrong movie for you. Traitor focuses more on personal relationships than high-tech weapons. The movie makes good use of the actuals tactics and methodology of present day jihadists. But some of the terms, such as the halawas, could be better defined. The way the movie portrays interaction between American security agencies is interesting, but better represents the Cold War era than modern day. The limited information presented about Cheadle's past also leaves just enough for the imagination to wonder. The one negative is that Archie Panjabi's character was not developed enough. She did a solid job with the few lines she was given. However, a more developed Panjabi character would have added more depth to Cheadle. Overall, very good movie that makes you think.

Terrorism is bad, Cheadle is good, movie is so-so

[tjackson · 6/10 · 4 September 2008]

This movie is OK, but not great. It's got some nice twists which I am still kind of confused about. It also is one of those films that's basically a spy movie set to the tune of terrorism. Fools and suckers who might vote for McCain and that ridiculous woman can feel they understand the war on terror. But we don't gain any insight just paranoid thrills, and more stuff blowing up, and deaths galore without any follow up. It's the same ol' same ol' but, at worst, a harmful Hollywood bamboozle.

I guess Don Cheadle could read the phone book and you'd take it seriously, what with that great troubled, earnest face of his. I'm not sure why, given his last few movies which were full of conscience, he needed to make this. Surely not for the money?! Like a phone book, I don't think movie is necessary. But people still use phone books and, like anything where there are a few good twists and turns, stuff explodes, and we go home safe, there's always an audience for it.

Oldfashioned in the good way

[jligthart · 8/10 · 3 February 2012]

Sometimes good is bad and bad is good. Or put more simply: everything is just a shade of grey. What kind of shade just depends on the viewer, the perspective. Steve Martin (yes, the comedian Steve Martin) co-wrote a solid modern day spy saga that is fortunately neither black nor white. The only thing this movie lacks is emotion. By trying too hard to get the message across, director Jeffrey Nachmanoff has lost eye on the need for viewers to be able to identify with the characters and has thus made it harder to empathize with persons and causes. You will, but only in the second half of the movie. Still, the storyline is solid. And the acting is more than that. Don Cheadle is (again) magnificent and so is Saïd Taghmaoui. This is not an action movie, but a thinking man's movie. And a good one too.

Another movie that makes you think that everyone could be a possible terrorist

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 6/10 · 1 September 2008]

I was actually kind of looking forward to Traitor, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce are two incredible actors who I was looking forward to seeing on film together. Also the plot seemed very interesting and like this could be a great film, I was a little disappointed though, even though this is a decent and watchable film, there's nothing special about the film that stands out from other political films. One film that I feel has stood out was Rendition, now I like this where we have the point of view from the terrorist and why they do what they do, what they believe in, and why they feel it is necessary to kill people in their on going war. I also did like how Traitor kept you wondering who was really in on the war and who was going to back out. But the film does drag on a little and at times my head felt too spun around, especially at the end, maybe it'll take a second look, but I think most would be confused by this movie.

Samir Horn has grown up in a terrorist world, his father was killed by a terrorist act, but when he grows up, he decides to help out the terrorists by making money, he sells bombs and weapons. The FBI are trying to get him to confess on where the bombs are and where the suicide bombers are plotting to go next. Samir gets mixed up with the terrorists, becoming a murderer, becoming mixed up with the American government, eventually having to decide if he wants to continue to destroy innocent people's lives or save some lives.

Traitor is one of the better films released in August, but like I said, I didn't think anything stood out too well with this film. It also irritated me that it makes it seem as if the person sitting next to you on the public bus could be a terrorist, these films do frighten me on a certain level, I know they could be true, but it's making me a bit uncomfortable at times, Traitor cannot be watched for entertainment, it's a message film and makes you think about the world. It's a well acted film, it's very well made, I just wasn't too thrilled with it, but I would say it's good for a matinée.

6/10

underwhelming

[disdressed12 · 4/10 · 2 February 2009]

talk about high hopes being dashed.seeing the trailers for this film starring Don Cheadle,i was convinced it would be a great movie.sadly,i found it boring,predictable,muddled,pointless.I like Don Cheadle a lot.but i think he made a bad decision to star in this movie.Guy Pierce,Neil McDonough,and Jeff Daniels co star.a case of a great cast being wasted,except for guy Pierce,who i was impressed with.otherwise,this movie is just filled with despair and no hope.it's got a fairly high rating of 7.2/10,which i would say is way,way too generous.maybe i just wasn't in the right mood or frame of mind for this movie.anyway,for me,Traitor is a 4/10