Cheadle’s ‘Traitor’ is complex

It was a little surprising to see the latest round of ads hyping “Traitor” as a “Bourne Identity”-style action thriller. True, the story does have action elements — it’s a globe-hopping tale of a military man’s infiltration of a terrorist cell, after all.

But to pitch it as a bomb-heavy, blood-and-guts action movie is disingenuous. There’s more to “Traitor” than explosions.

Don Cheadle stars as Samir Horn, an explosives expert who sells his wares to whoever can pay his fees. He’s apolitical, dealing with the United States’ allies and enemies alike. After getting swept up in a raid overseen by FBI agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) while in Yemen, Samir is sent to a prison full of Muslim radicals. He joins up with a terrorist cell before a prison break, choosing to aid the terrorists in their quest to cause chaos across Europe and the United States.

Or does he? Samir’s motives are not fully understood for the first hour or so. Is he a moderate Muslim turned into an extremist by U.S. foreign policy? Is he still working for the FBI (or CIA) even while creating explosive devices for the terrorists? If Samir really has gone rogue, how will the American government stop the coming terrorist attack planned on its soil?

This is a movie sure to spark some controversy. Though one of the few films to portray radical Islam as a legitimate (if not existential) threat, it surely will madden some that the Jihadi terrorists whom Samir befriends are not cartoonish, cardboard cutouts. Their motivations are examined even as their behavior goes unexcused.

Mr. Cheadle exudes a calm, world-weary charm as Samir; his character is a devout Muslim who traipses around the world selling weapons even while hating to take a life. Mr. Pearce’s Roy, the son of a preacher-man, is also a finely shaded character. The same cannot be said of Roy’s partner, Max Archer; he is portrayed by Neal McDonough as a stereotypically oafish, ugly American. That writer-director Jeffrey Nachmanoff wanted to contrast the “good” and “bad” American is unsurprising — this is a Hollywood production, after all — but it feels a little forced.

Jeff Daniels plays a key role as an intelligence operative and Samir’s stateside handler; his Carter gives voice to the annoyances — and convictions — of the American intelligence community. The Muslim cast is both impressive and nuanced. Said Taghmaoui’s turn as Omar, Samir’s closest confidant in the terrorist cell, is especially moving, just as Aly Khan’s Fareed — a cosmopolitan financier of suicide bombings and other atrocities - is especially chilling.

As a thriller, “Traitor” excels and feels especially relevant, considering the subject matter. Those looking for a smart action-thriller will be hard-pressed to find a better alternative in the lean late-summer months.

…

TITLE: “Traitor”

RATED: PG-13 (intense violent sequences, thematic material and brief language)

CREDITS: Story by Jeffrey Nachmanoff and Steve Martin

RUNNING TIME: 114 minutes

WEB SITE: www.traitor-themovie.com

MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS