Argo (2012)

"Argo fuck yourself." (Many people)

"It offends the intended audience." (John Goodman)
"Who is the intended audience?" (Ben Affleck)
"People with eyes." (John Goodman)

I wanted to like Argo.  It has everything I like: history, spys, intrigue, languages, sci-fi, sunglasses, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, great suspense, AKA as I knew this was the Academy Award best picture of 2012, I was pleasantly optimistic.

Argo was good, but nothing special.  There's nothing wrong with it.  I even have to give a huge thumbs up to Ben Affleck's directing ability.  Given this story, I could envision so many ways that Argo could have fallen flat.  It didn't.  Way to go.  A story about using a fake 70's sci-fi film to rescue trapped people has all the story hallmarks of a comedy (Like think Bill Murray in The Man Who Knew Too Little.)  But, in BA's hands it is, in fact, a reasonably thrilling and suspenseful story that holds the view attention.

There were some technical elements to the production that were also worthy of praise.  The pacing of cuts during "suspenseful" sequences was perfect.  The wrong pacing and timing of shots can ruin a mood instantaneously.  And while the music was nothing particularly special, it was the perfect thing to add thrill and excitement to what otherwise might not be a whirlwind escape.

Maybe it was because I knew they succeeded?

Ratings:

Spys:  See it clandestinely
Canadians:  See it with pride.  Pride I tell you.
Kiwis:  Pass
Zoltan the merciless Ruler of the Omniverse:  Skip it
Politicos:  See it

On a scale of Revolution to Evolution, I give Argo 3.8 out of 5 stars.