Argo Movie Review

Argo is one of the best films of 2012. The title may have been based on a fake film, but it delivers real emotions.

After The Town, Ben Affleck has made his name known not just as an actor but a director as well. And for Argo, he sealed his name in. Argo brings us the declassified true story about the hostage crisis in Iran and the handful of Americans who were lucky/unlucky to get out of the embassy before Iranians took hostages.

Affleck manages to bring the look and feel of that time into film.  The look and texture of the film is carefully edited and delivered. Affleck really knows his stuff just by the cinematography of Argo. Each angle and camera motion is suited to each scene’s emotion, look and perception. When the camera moves, you really feel as if you were in the film. An example would be the van scene where Affleck and the Americans are inside the van and the streets are filled with protesters while more protesters are converging into the van. That scene alone makes you feel what those characters felt. And the camera manages to amplify those emotions with each turn and zoom.

Adding to the film’s excitement is the score. The score starts strong bringing in suspenseful sound as the US Embassy was being overrun. Then it starts to mellow and before you know it, it starts to climb the suspense tune. And it continues until the film’s climax but doesn’t mellow down. It just blends in with the dialogue but you still the emotion brought about by it.

Affleck stars in this film as the lead just like in The Town. And like in The Town, he plays a character very well and has chemistry with the rest of the cast. Affleck also brought in a great cast which are closely similar in physical appearance to the people they portray. They manage to help ease the tension of the film and at most times bring the excitement and fear to higher levels.

Argo is a well told story and Affleck is the right guy to bring it to the big screen. It is filled with a lot of emotions. It has excitement, fear, tension and a lot of suspense. You will literally hold your breath during the last minutes of the film. Affleck really knows how to make a film where audiences will stay in their seats and just can’t wait to see what happens next.

Argo, I say again is  one of the best films of 2012. It is fast and the thrills never stop once the Iranians stormed the US Embassy. I highly recommend this film and I will watch it again. I give it 9 out of 10.