Historical Mission Impossible
10/10
Author: Mek Torres from Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines
19 October 2012
We already know that Ben Affleck is better as a director than an actor. He tells a story uniquely with his own cinematic art and style. In Argo, this is a new challenge for him. Making a large and historical drama thriller. Argo is based on a declassified true story about Tony Mendez rescuing six US diplomats from Iran. The movie depicts the story in a much suspenseful way. Affleck's directing talent shines once again with modern and old Hollywood vibe. The film is both dark and light, funny and thrilling. Argo is undeniably entertaining, compelling, and exciting.
Firstly the performances, Bryan Cranston did what he does best. John Goodman and Alan Arkin are the delight and the comic relief of the film. Ben Affleck portrays Tony Mendez pretty well. He gave enough depth to the role. Now as a director, you may notice his trademarks(Though, it's not set in Boston and there were no masked criminals). He brings his style of suspense to the picture. The storytelling is not only straightforward, but it also builds the tension starting by exploring what's going on until it proceeds to the next action. It never stops being gripping.
What's impressive is it can balance its various tones decently without being a mess. Outside the storytelling is a solid craft. The film looks credibly retro. They obviously wanted to make everything look the same to the real life story. The production design really captures the eighties like their vehicles, clothes, and the awesome mustache and beard. The camera is shaky which larges the scale and makes the absurd climax exciting. Argo is sensational as a film directed by Ben Affleck. It provides great suspense, drama, and humor which made itself so remarkably charming.
This film proves that Affleck can make bigger films than just Boston crime dramas. His style of bringing tension is the classy formula of the film. The rest of the filmmaking is solid. Argo is simply a classic. No matter how ridiculous the premise sounds, it's still undeniably smart and spectacular.
