Movies

As globetrotting political thrillers go, Traitor is long on trotting and light on thrills. As agents Guy Pearce and Neil McDonough hopscotch across the globe chasing Don Cheadle, a military explosives expert gone wrong, your thoughts are not edge-of-the-seat tension but frequent flyer envy.

The film, written and directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (screenwriter of The Day After Tomorrow) tells the story of a rogue U.S. Special Forces veteran who is working with terrorists to carry out acts of violence against the West. The gimmick is that it's unclear where enigmatic Samir Horn's loyalties lie. His actions express his interpretation of Muslim beliefs, and the script spends as much time on theological debates as on detective work. It's commendable when an action adventure wants us to chew on the moral implications of onscreen violence, but this effort is less Bourne than boring.

Cheadle is a superb actor who usually melts seamlessly into his roles. He's less convincing here, however, perhaps because he had special control over the film as its co-producer. His thoughtfully knit brow and gentle, doe-like eyes seem to be telling us, "I'm not really such a bad guy." When his real intentions are revealed, the only shock is that the film delayed telling us the obvious for so long.

Traitor is technically polished and enjoyable to look at, but a number of story details remain murky. Jeff Daniels plays an intelligence contractor whose game plan and connection to Samir are never satisfactorily explained, and at several points the plot is driven by pure coincidence. Unless you're seeking sheer escapism, you're likely to feel a bit betrayed.