Traffic

Rating:
Summary: Movie-making at its finest
Review: Steven Soderbergh doesn't miss once with this thought-provoking, highly entertaining ensemble thriller.

Rating:
Summary: A Smart, Brilliantly Executed Film
Review: Traffic is not the kind of film that relies on special effects, or epic battles where hundreds of soldiers get slaughtered, it is a story about the war on drugs.

The film is led by a big ensemble cast including an Oscar-Winning performance by Benecio Del Tora as a Mexican Cop followed during his daily job by a sense of temptation. It follows around three stories all different but relating on one general theme: The drug war. Most of the film is about the drug trade, but in some instances it is about drugs and it's affect on people (ie: Douglas and his daughter's situation). Traffic ends much the same way as it started, there is no solution to the problem, there is no happy ending, there is just a little league baseball game (the drug war has not a happy ending, if there ever is an end). Those who gave it poor reviews were going to Traffic expecting "Gladiator" fight scenes, or "Heat" shoot-outs, but this film relies on important aspects of film such as character development (which is lacking in most films today; ala "The Mummy Returns"), dialogue, and an intriging story. Don't get me wrong, it's a very exciting film, but not in the violence aspect. The brilliant acting by the entire cast, the excellent dialogue, and the masterful directing and editing by Steven Soderbergh (which is pretty revolutionary) alone make Traffic definately in the top five of 2000. The Traffic DVD consists of many interesting extras. There is a nice ten minute (rougly ten minutes) "Inside Traffic -- The Making of" which has interviews after the first four minutes where it shows clips from the movie. A couple dozen pictures were also included, and there are a few TV spots and trailers (it looked to me like they were running out of things to put on the DVD, because they even included the German Trailer). Rumor has it that this will not be the only release of Traffic, and another release in the fairly distant future will come out with a Commentary, and other extras. The sharp picture and the flaming 5.1 digital surround sound make the DVD a great investment!

Rating:
Summary: Where are the Oscars?
Review: When you see the trailer you get the impression it is an action packed druglord movie: lethal weapon 5. When you see the film movie I could not stop wondering: is there going to happen something soon? It's too ambitious, over the top and made with Oscars in mind. The plot (if there is any) wants to follow to many walks of life and the plot soon gets stranded. This leaves a lot of loose strings, making the story line a large blur. Zeta Jones, Micheal Douglas, they can all perform better. Want to see the social devastation done by drugs, go see the classic Scarface with Al Pacino.

Rating:
Summary: Very well done
Review: I thought the performances were excellent, and the movie was well written. The topic of drugs was looked at from several angles, but the movie did a good job of showing the complex nature of the drug problem in this country and beyond.

I was pleased to notice the movie made no real judgments -- it let the viewer decide for him/herself.

Rating:
Summary: Mexico, si - Michael Douglas, no
Review: The wonderful cinematography aside, Traffic is really two movies. The totally believable and gritty story of drug traffic on the border, the unbelievable Hollywood story of Michael Douglas and his daughter. Watch this film for Benicio del Toro, especially the too-brief scene in Tijuana (actually filmed in Nogales) where a young US couple tries to pay off del Toro to help finding their car, and he just refers them to the policia. Poor rich Douglas, his daughter mired in drugs, plays like a TV movie of the week. Any US drug czar wouldn't waste time crusing the drugs streets with another kid user. Instead, the wrath of God would descend on the whole drug scene. Moral of this movie seems to be that if you're white, US, and wealthy, you can solve your problems through family counseling. If you're Hispanic, watch out, the movie doesn't even pretend to offer solutions. If I lived in Mexico along the border, I'd be really furious at the politics of this movie

Rating:
Summary: Worth Seeing
Review: Powerful, quick moving film. Strong message that makes an impact.

Rating:
Summary: A landmark film, the first great one of the new century
Review: Everything is great about this movie from the acting to the oscar award winning direction. That gladiator won Best picture instead this is absolutely the biggest trash I've ever seen.

Rating:
Summary: Traffic
Review: This was one of the worst movies I have seen. Could not give a [care] if someone doing drugs, hiding the doing of, selling etc. The acting was good, but the movie was not anything of interest to me or my family. We went to see it because of "rave reviews." On the upside I think that Benicio DelToro deserved the best supporting actor Academy Award for his role in 'Traffic'.

Rating:
Summary: Predictable Movie......but very good acting, all around...
Review: I went to the theatre before the Oscars to see Traffic, I came out liking the moving but as the days wore on after the Oscars, I see why it was not the Best Picture. The moving did not tell anything that anyone does not know about the usage and affects of drugs on all participants all around. The one thing that it did shed light on is a cop who was not compromised by money and that is not something you see everyday (del Toro's oscar winning performance, deservedly). Other than that, it was predictable. What pulled this movie off was the performances from Michael Douglas, the girl who played his daughter (she was very good), Don Cheadle, Luis Guzman, on down the line....and one other thing, I am glad of the way Soderburgh used the lighting for each story intertwined, very good effect. I am disappointed that for over $20 you do not get any commentary from the director, actor or writer....for this I may wait for the special edition release.

Rating:
Summary: Long, but really good. Has a good message...
Review: This movie has a good message for society: Many people really don't see how bad the drug war is in America and all around the world. It's so easy for teenagers and even younger kids to get drugs these days, and this movie shows it in all it's disturbing detail. Micheal Douglas, Catherine Zeta Jones, and the rest of the cast all give superb performances in this mesmerizing film. It runs a bit too long, but all in all, it is a wonderful film. Benecio Del Toro took home the Best Supporting Oscar for this one this year. His performance was also great.