Traffic

Rating:
Summary: Overrated, Gimmicky but Occasionally Interesting
Review: "Traffic" is one of those films whose message seems so timely and important that people overlook that it is mostly bits and pieces cobbled together as a story. Soderburgh--who actually managed to do a remake as good as the original with "Ocean's 11--almost seems anti-narrative with his take on the futile U.S. war on drugs. He struggles to tell several stories at once, the most compelling of which is set in a Mexico that looks more like Mars, as it was filmed through a filter that gives everything an orangish wash. (Soderburgh relies on this gimmick for each story's setting--my hometown, Columbus, looks a lot grayer than it does in real life). Here, Benicio Del Torro shines as a cop with murky ethics who nonetheless finds himself surrounded by even more questionable public officials. Though the semi-documentary approach seems sincere, there is little in "Traffic" movie-goers haven't seen in one form or another in "Miami Vice" or "Scarface," save for a venomous Catherine Zeta-Jones as an amoral soccer mom determined to hold onto the good life after her drug-dealer husband is sent up. A particularly ugly--but, sadly, all-too-real--subtext is that there is no drug problem until it reaches the affluent white suburbs, as incoming anti-drug Czar and wantonly oblivious father Michael Douglas finally snaps into action when he discovers his preppie daughter is actually a junkie bottoming out. With the film's arthouse approach and shaky plot, viewers expecting answers will mostly find questions, not all of which, unfortunately, are worth asking dramatically.

Rating:
Summary: War On Drugs
Review: Director Steven Soderbergh's Oscar winning epic about the war on drugs gets the Criterion treatment with this latest re-release on DVD. The film weaves 3 separate storylines to cover many aspects of the drug problem. The film features a stellar cast, led by Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The first storyline concerns newly appointed U.S. Drug Czar, Robert Wakefield (Douglas) and his public crusade and private horror. The second storyline involves a drug informant (Miguel Ferrer) and his ties to a West Coast drug kingpin, Carlos Ayala (Steven Bauer) and his Wife, Helena (Zeta-Jones) The final storyline shows the struggle on the U.S./Mexican border with 2 cops, Sanchez (Jacob Vargas) and Rodriguez (Del Toro), fighting a part of the war that is rarely discussed. Soderbergh, once again acted as his own Cinematograhper, and gives the film a real documentary-like feel that works quite well. Actually, the movie is based on a British Mini Series called TRAFFIK, written by Stephen Gaghan, who also wrote this screenplay here too. The stories are detailed and very engrossing, leaving no stone unturned, or avenue explored. When I first saw the movie, I remember thinking that, every parent should watch this film with their kids, from 10 on up. It is a perfect way to begin a dialogue about this very difficult subject matter.

The 2 disc set includes 3 audio commentaries that feature various crew members and consultants talking about their take on the movie. Some tracks are better than others. There is over an hour of deleted scenes and alternate takes. The best of which is the cocktail party edits. There are three "demonstrations", one on film editing, dialogue editing, and the unique look of the Mexican boarder sequences, explaining how that was done. Of those the latter featurette is the best of the 3. It also includes interactive "trading cards" with K-9 drug sniffing dogs that work on the boarder. Rounding it all out are the usual trailers/television spots.

Vastly improved over the previous edition, which is still available, Criterion offers solid supplements that warrant a look. The nice thing here is that people who like the film, now have a choice between a version with more extras or a version with less extras. As for the Criterion Collection release, I Highly Recommend it, for rental or purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Movie Serials with a Twist
Review: This is a movie about the debatably successful war on drugs. It is made up of four story lines, presented like movie serials, which Steven Soderbergh does a great job in weaving together by the end of the film. As a result, the viewer sees how a police officer in Tijuana is linked to a young, female drug-user in suburban America.

This film questions the war by pointing out that it is never-ending and is pervasive. The best line is where the drug czar, played my Michael Douglas, asks "How do we wage war against our families?" The movie is not saying that the war is completely futile, but it says that we should rethink our strategy.

I would highly recommend seeing this film.

Rating:
Summary: Snoozer
Review: This film can be accurately summarized with one word: BORING.

I'm getting sick and tired of getting suckered in by these "star-studded" and "award winning" movies. If this "movie" can get four academy awards then a movie documenting cars rusting should be able to easily qualify for eight academy awards.

Rating:
Summary: Finally a great film gets a worthy DVD.
Review: TRAFFIC is an incredible film. The perfect blend of excellent writing, cinematography, and acting. However, this movie is not for everyone. Don't let the star-studded cast fool you; this is not a traditional Hollywood production. There is no "villain". The sex scenes are not shown in a sexual manner. The action sequences are devoid of slow-motion dives and explosions. The language is ugly. The settings, even the disgustingly rich La Jolla country club, are gritty. The characters are real. The movie is REAL. If you like to have your movies spelled out for you, then this movie is not for you. If you appreciate fine film-making and directors who respect the audience with honesty, if you like movies that explore beyond the traditional Hollywood bounds, then do yourself a favor and buy this disc. Devour it. This movie is real.

Rating:
Summary: was this movie about drugs?
Review: I really don't know where to start. This really had to be the worst movie made in 2001. I just couldn't understand it. The story, or stories in the film. Who played the bad guys? And what was that stupid speech about blacks always seen by whites as drug addicts, that we should undertstand and feel sorry for them because Hey, that's all they know and do to survie. Wasn't the black guy giving the drugs to the girl and pratically having her as a his sex slave, because she...being stupid and rich and having nothing to do with her time needs her drugs. I couldn't stand her and wished she died in the film. She just made me want to beat some sense into her. This is what happens when we give everything to our kids (meaning allowances of over 100 dollars a week) so they start to get bored and have no sense of what it means to work for money or do with time after school. We really need to teach our kids how to be human beings instead of babying them and worrying about hurting there feeling. Because if we don't then we will see our kids turn into monsters who don't care who they hurt, rob, sale there bodies or do stupid things (like Jackass). If I was Michael Douglas I would have beat some reality into the girl and thrown her out on her butt. And the guy who won the supporting Oscar. NO Mexican speaks that way. The accent was wrong and the way the held a converstation. It was like some ignoramus decided to be a screenwriter. What they should have done was go to Mexico and get a real translator and really done a decent job. I Mexican-American, born In Houston, raised in Houston and I consider myself a U.S. citizen just like anyone born here would, white, black, latino, etc. (But I don't consider myself a Mexican, because I've been to Mexico and they don't like Americanized latinos), and I have relatives in Mexico and they laughed at the accent and the stupid conversation the two latino actors were having. It was stupid. A Puerto-Rican accent?, when the character in the movie was Mexican? Makes no sence. The only character I liked was the Chaterine Zeta-Jones role. She was cool. I guess it was the pregancy thing. A pregnant lady who is desperate, who turns into a female Corleone was cool. That was it. But I hate it and I will hate any movie that is politcally correct. Hollywood should not be afraid to show the ugly side of all races, Black, White, Hispanic, Oreantal, and so on. It is real life and real life affects all races...and that means drugs too affect all races.

Rating:
Summary: About as Complete a film as You'll Ever See-
Review: It was easy for me to see why "Traffic" was so highly praised among critics and movie-goers. The movie somehow managed to show us all sides to the drug trade in 2 hour story that feels real because we know it more or less is. The movie flashes back and forth between the locations and characters and each are involved with drugs on one end or the other.

Benecio Del Toro is a Mexican cop on the front lines- He deals daily with dangerious cartel memebers and has recieved offers from the US government to help stop the trafficing of drugs by leading them to wanted criminals.
Michael Douglas is great as yet-another suit wearing lead character- This time a politician pushing to up the war on drugs. At the same time his daughter is on a downward spiral of adiction. Her scenes are graffic and disturbing, but they show us the reality of how drugs ruin the lives of the people that use them and their parents and loved ones.
Don Cheedle is a California Cop staking out drug dealers and trying to take them down.
Katherine Zeta-Jones is a wealthy woman whose husband has been arrested for selling drugs. Though at first a wreck that her husband could be involved in illegal activities, she herself becomes determined to twist the law so he can be released and they can live a rich lifestyle.

Steven Soderberg's directing is fantastic. Each scene has it's own colors- The scenes in Mexico are all washed out with bright yellow and red, which represents the action and the danger of the criminals there. Michael Douglas's scenes are shot in Blue and Green hues, giving us a cold view of the characters and showing us how they don't have a clue of the reality of the drug trade. The film is also shot with hand helds, so it's choppy, moving picture frames feel like a home movie or documentary. It makes it that much more real.

This is a great movie. Don't expect to be entertained- it's not that kind of film. Instead, be educated and moved as you discover the corrupt and all too real world of drugs in today's world.

Rating:
Summary: whats the fuss
Review: i bought this movie and it was the only movie that i have ever bought that i wanted to return,it came across as a documentary,and to much spanish ,for my liking,whats the fuss with this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Very well done
Review: Especially the kid - Chrisenson. She did an incredible job of portraying the addict, and what one will do to feed the addiction.

A well acted flick with enough of a plot albeit convoluted at times.

great for a weekend viewing, or a matinee' if still in theatres!

Rating:
Summary: benicio del toro [stinks]
Review: give the deserved guy best actor. u know russel crowe. i ordered this on pay per view and missed the first 1/2 hour but it is still good. the only part he was in that he did not [stinks] in was the baseball game at the end. his charector was flawed.