AnkurMathur.com

I finally got a chance to watch Syriana now that it is out on DVD, and it was a very interesting movie. Based on that trailers that I had seen, it seemed like an action paced movie with hardly anything else. It was actually a very interesting movie with multiple plot lines all revolving around oil.

It is a little hard to follow all the plot lines, but basically it’s all about controlling oil. One plot line revolves around a major merger between two oil companies that will create a huge conglomerate that will be one of the most powerful companies in the world. Driven by their greed, the people involved will stop at nothing to see the merger successfully through, including sacrificing one of their own employees. Combined with this, is the law firm dealing with merger. Since the merger will create a huge company, with undoubtedly large legal needs, the law firm is just as eager to see the merger through and will do anything to achieve their goals.

Next we have a power struggle in the Middle East between the two sons of an aging king, which has attracted the attention of the American government. The American government, fueled by business interests wants a clear and decisive victory for the younger son. The younger son is willing to let status quo stand, and has no vision for the future. On the other hand, the elder brother wants to reform his country and build a nation to benefit its own people. Finally, we a have a plot where we see how the oil struggle fuels and pushes people into the radical Islamic movement in the Middle East; a religious movement that provides people with a feeling of brotherhood, righteousness, and most importantly, a sense of belonging in a world where they have nothing.

Overall, Syriana was a pretty good movie. The various plot lines can be hard to follow at times, but they are all tied together in an excellent manner.