Finally the 'old' Star Trek cast started to acknowledge their age and realized they had served their purpose. This self awareness helped to make this movie a fitting conclusion for the 'old' Star Trek cast and movies series, though some of them still appeared in the following Star Trek movie "Star Trek: Generations", in some minor roles however.

Even though this movie is very much consistent with the style and atmosphere of the earlier Star Trek movies, it also still manages to feel like a more modern genre movie. The set, effects and make-up are better looking than ever before, allowing this movie to also work out as one of the more 'convincing' Star Trek productions.

It by no means is a spectacular science-fiction movie, in the sense of that it's featuring lots of space battles or ground battles in it but it still feels like a big science-fiction movie, probably due to the gravity of its story, the fact that it's taking place at a bunch of different locations and because it features many different aliens in it.

You could even say that in some ways this is being more of a political orientated movie than an action or science-fiction one really. They are busy avoiding a war, instead of fighting or beginning one. And this is an approach that works out well and still as something very exciting and often tense as well. It's a fast paced movie, in which plenty is happening, so please don't think it's dull, though my description of it probably makes it sound that way.

The movie got directed by Nicholas Meyer, who also wrote a previous, very entertaining Star Trek movie, "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home". He appeared to be a director/writer who knew how to put fun and life into the Star Trek universe, which was something some of the other older Star Trek movies were surely missing. He's still better known as the guy who also directed "Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan", which in my opinion is actually the weaker movie when compared to this one but I know I'm a minority on this.

Besides being fun, the story is also being a clever and tight one. It besides gives a lot of the crew members a moment to shine, so this is not just being the Kirk & Spock show, as used to be the case with a lot of the other movies. Some of the actors really took a step back this time, allowing some of the others to have their moment to shine, which also seemed like a fitting thing to do, knowing this would be the last Star Trek movie featuring all of the original cast members.

Next to always having the regular cast members, all of the Star Trek movies often featured a well known actor as the movie its main villain. In this particular it was Christopher Plummer, who played a Klingon with an apparent Asian background. Yes, weird but oh well, it's Christopher Plummer, so it's still a role that works out and he's actually being a pretty good villain for this movie.

A great movie to end the series with, for the original cast members.

8/10

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(Review originally written at 4 September 2006)

No doubt that "Syriana" is a difficult movie to watch. You have to keep paying attention at every moment in the movie if you don't want to lose track of things. But those who have the patience and will to keep watching this movie will be rewarded with a thought provoking and effective movie that will leave you thinking afterward.

Best thing about this movie is that it basically follows four different plot lines and characters but it really doesn't feel like four separate and different stories at all. The movie feels as a complete whole and is consistent during its entire running time. All the stories have one thing in common, they are more or less about one and the same subject; oil. This might be the reason why the movie feels like one. The movie is called "Traffic"-'light' for a good reason. It's made in the same style and terms of realistic storytelling- and character treatment. No wonder, the movie is directed by Stephen Gaghan who wrote "Traffic" and one of the executive producers on this movie is Steven Soderbergh, who directed "Traffic". It sort of sounds strange to call this movie a 'light' version of "Traffic", since this movie in my opinion is far more complex (even though it focuses on far less character and plot lines) and focuses on a even more difficult and delicate subject.

"Traffic" taught us that the war on drugs can't be won, "Syriana" shows us that the lust for oil can never be stopped and the movie shows the direct consequences of it. The movie is about the Western and mostly American corruption and naivety. The movie shows how this affects the Middle-East and its population and how that more or less directly hits back at the Western world. It's a sort of vicious circle. We want more and more oil for lower prices but we eventually pay a far higher price than just money for it.

Kudos to Stephen Gaghan and the rest of the cast & crew to have to guts to make such a politically sensitive but relevant movie.

The movie gets carried by its excellently playing cast. This probably the best role of George Clooney I have ever seen him in. He deserved his Oscar for this movie, even though his role was far smaller than I expected. Matt Damon might be a bit out of place in this movie. I don't regard him as 'mature' enough yet to play such heavy and serious roles. I would had preferred an older or a totally unknown actor for his role. Among the supporting cast are Christopher Plummer, Amanda Peet, the always great Chris Cooper, William Hurt and Tim Blake Nelson. Not all of their roles seem relevant enough but nevertheless their presence still adds to the class of this movie.

A sort of an essential movie to watch, at least if you're open for a complex but confronting and direct movie, about a sensitive and not much lighted subject.

8/10

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(Review originally written at 3 September 2006)

All that praise for this movie...while it in my opinion is nothing more than a simple written but very well directed heist movie which cast and style still make this an entertaining enough and certainly watchable movie. It however is a movie with a tad more misses than hits really.

Main problem for me was the story. Over and over again it is told in the movie that this is the perfect bank robbery. Quite frankly I really don't see back in the movie why exactly the plan is such a brilliant one. Also the twist at the end left me cold and it was far from satisfying for me. I found the story to be simple and formulaic written. The movie tried to make itself seem more complex and clever but putting some non-linear story lines in the movie but its all not enough to make the story seem more interesting or any more clever. Spike Lee's directing however certainly spiced things up and manged to give the movie still some flair and an excellent 'cool' atmosphere. Nevertheless the movie and its story just didn't hit me as clever, surprising or perfectly solidly written, which made the movie as a whole to me a bit simple although it certainly still was perfectly entertaining to watch.

"Inside Man" isn't really a movie that allows itself to be put in a corner. It's hard to classify this movie as to what genre it is. As a thriller it isn't tense enough and as a crime movie it isn't clever and tough enough. For most part the movie is mostly entertaining to watch but than again at the same time the movie tries to handle some more serious and delicate matters. Best example of this are of course the racial and discriminating issues, a returning element in Spike Lee movies. The moments felt forced, out of place and totally unneeded. Because this movie doesn't really fit in a genre its hard to known how and with what approach or distance to watch this movie.

The cast is impressive, perhaps a bit too. Denzel Washington is perfectly in his element, as yet again a police detective. He seems to be getting with every movie I see him in. Clive Owen isn't as impressive but he is a good actor and he plays his role convincing and 'cool' enough. The movie also has Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer in it but it makes you wonder why. Their roles are small and don't seem significant enough, even though they play an important part in the story. This is mainly because their screen time is too limited and it feels like a huge waste of talent. Jodie Foster normally picks her roles very carefully and it makes me wonder why she ever agreed to be in this movie. Willem Dafoe on the other hand again is a perfect, pleasant and most welcome addition to the star-filled cast.

This movie still shows that Spike Lee is a great talented director with a nose for the business. This unfortunately in this case only shows in its style. The movie has some great executed- and almost artistically style-full sequences. It to me was the only reason why this movie still was a good- and entertaining enough movie to watch, for the story and its character left me cold mostly.

Simple entertainment. Style-full but not solid.

6/10

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