Syriana: A world where only oil matters

Stephen Gaghan’s movie Syriana is complex, grim, intense, but unfortunately, ultimately empty. Using similar sharp plotting techniques as in his script for Traffic, there is detachment and coldness in his cinematography illustrated in a bluish tint to Americans in many scenes, and a hazy sepia or golden tone in scenes with Islamic characters which, while imparting a warmer glow seems gritty, dusty, and menacing.

In Syriana he takes on Big Oil politics as he did illegal drug cartels, Mexican and American governments, corruption, and the drug runners and their law enforcement adversaries. Here we have Middle East terrorists, the CIA opposing them, conflicting Saudi princes vying to be king, an oil company merger facing Congressional oversight and investigation for questionable practices in securing contracts in Kazakhstan.

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