Comments on: Syriana

By: tito

tito — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 18:33:38 +0000

In Brett’s absence, I would like to point out that he apparently finds moronic the stance of taking the movie seriously as opposed to enjoying it. Perhaps Dr. Mabuse does not understand the difference.

While I do not enjoy, say, chlamydia I do take it seriously.

Having that said (written), I don’t understand how taking something serioulsy could cast somebody as a moron. Without some a priori knowledge that something is undeserving of any consideration (I submit that any consideration is by definition “serious”) how else are we to know whether something is moronic, etc… A recursive Pantera’s Box, to be sure. Something I assume that Dr. Mabuse understands innately, thus the conflation of serious consideration with enjoyment. As to whether or not one enjoys something (puttting aside for now the dubious idea that something can only be enjoyed once viewede through the lens of considered recollections) and whether or not that causes somebody to be a moron (“very stupid person”) I disagree.

By: gz

gz — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 15:43:48 +0000

I saw this movie a couple of days ago and have had such a hard time figuring out what I think about it. But you’ve summarized it nicely. As to the Damon character, I think his situation is not so suprising. All American boy goes to mid-East for business. Son dies while doing business. He looks for – and finds – reason/justification . . . a bigger purpose. His ideals get the better of him. There is no “reason.” He returns to US where things are easier . . . thanks in part of course, to the whole thing he just left and doesn’t want to know any more. In other words, all of the puppet-masters behind the curtain, pulling the strings making a comfortable American life possible.

By: DrMabuse

DrMabuse — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 23:14:18 +0000

Brett: Yeah, apparently quite a few. Explain why we’re all morons for enjoying this film.

By: brett

brett — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 23:08:35 +0000

Oh my God. There are people taking this movie seriously? Morons.

By: DrMabuse

DrMabuse — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:55:33 +0000

Bud: Well it was clear to me that the Matt Damon character was caught up in the sweep of blind idealism, and I found the effect this had on his marriage to be very interesting. It seemed to me that Gaghan was making the point that the potential for reform shared a lot in common with the avaricious impulses of the other characters. A greed of an altogether different sort.

So his speeches were called for. And I thought the initial desert scene (“How much do you want for my other kid?”) had some teeth to it.

By: Bud Parr

Bud Parr — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:49:22 +0000

Thanks Ed – wondering if you found Damon’s grand sweeping statements a bit contrived? The first one in the desert I could see, maybe and some of the other Americanish (“you backed the right pony”) okay, but he sometimes seemed way overboard, harping on the Arab situation. dunno

By: Megan

Megan — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 20:27:46 +0000

Damn, I had free tickets to this movie and I gave them away. Y’all make it sound great.