THE INTERNATIONAL 2.5*** “The International “is a good example of how a film can come so close to realizing its potential but ultimately falls below what it could've been. Most of the fundamentals are present: an interesting premise, a couple of good stars and great cinematography . However, what holds this film back is a confusing, complicated plot whose pieces just don’t come together very well.

A world-weary but determined INTERPOL agent (Clive Owen) teams with a District Attorney from New York City (Naomi Watts) to try to bring down a corrupt international power-house bank which, among many other bad things, is funding huge multinational arms deals. Along with some good but not so great acting from the two leads, one of the big draws to this underwhelming action thriller is the stunning cinematography of some the world’s finest cities such as Milan, Berlin, Luxembourg, and New York.

Although there is enough action to recall Jason Bourne's globetrotting shootouts, nothing here seems important enough. However, there is an amazing action sequence worthy of the price of admission…..a shootout in Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum. Not really there but the set, built in Germany, is an impressive facsimile. This is a smartly executed all-out action sequence with bullets flying and bodies falling, an outlandish and wildly entertaining shoot-out in such an usual pristine setting.. The 5-story museum literally becomes a target gallery right down to the ending crescendo of the falling glass ceiling….shades of “Phantom of the Opera”.

“The International” is a film that “coulda been a contender” but stumbles along the way and ends up being a punch drunk cousin to Jason Bourne. Even so, the Guggenheim shoot-out sequence still made it worth seeing..