Argo (2012) - A Terrific Sophomore

★★★★☆

Some films are made to entertain, some to upset, some to agitate and make us learn, some just to test our patience. This is a film about a film being made up with the purpose of rescuing innocent Americans from fanatical Iranian revolutionaries. It’s a political drama based on a true event that works like a terrific action thriller indeed.

This film couldn’t have been made possible if not for Bill Clinton who decided to declassify ‘Argo’ back in 1997, a fake sci-fi film production set up in order to get 6 American embassy staff out of Iran peacefully after they escaped the local radicals’ attack on the U.S. embassy in Tehran in 1979. Since they were secret escapees, if they were unfortunately captured, they could be executed without anyone knowing it. Ben Affleck’s Tony Mendez must, therefore, run against the clock with of course a bold heart to get them out of the madness. It takes a lot of proper conditions to pull a thing off. The ‘Argo’ miracle is no exception. Tony Mendez, the kind, headstrong and responsible man is the main reason. There’re also many other small uncertainties to affect the outcome. Tony knows it, yet he risks it all and never breaks.

There’s no such a thing as right side right or left side wrong. If you were an American back there, you’d consider what the Iranian were doing insane. But if you were on the Iranian side, you’d naturally think of the Americans as lackeys of the Devil. So who’s wrong and who’s right? The answer: all’s wrong and all’s right. It always depends. If it however, involves hurting or killing lives, it’s wrong anyway because killing doesn’t break the circle of hatred. Only forgiveness does. But pathetically, we all kind of believe that revenge is sweet. That’s why Iran and America still disrespect and hate each other. They never seem to be able to shake hands, sit down and talk. The history is going to repeat itself sooner or later.

With Ben Affleck’s ingenious direction and gripping cross-cutting, ‘Argo’ seems so intense in the beginning, then inevitably exhilarating as it develops, and in the end very moving. This Ben’s second directorial effort is definitely much more mature and powerful than his debut ‘The Town’. ‘Argo’ that may get to grab an Academy Award or two next year convinces us that maybe Ben Affleck isn’t yet a great director, but already a very good one!