FILM REVIEW: Snowden (2016)
Snowden (2016)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Written by Kieran Fitzgerald and Oliver Stone
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, Scott Eastwood, Logan Marshall-Green, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schnetzer, LaKeith Stanfield, Rhys Ifans, Nicolas Cage
Snowden is quite possibly the most conventional Oliver Stone film to date. The story of whistleblower Edward Snowden broke nearly 10 years ago, provoking strong reactions from both sides of the political spectrum. This film, however, doesn’t take any huge risks. Stone usually turns his films into soapboxes and his filmography features some of the most controversial titles in modern cinematic history. So, to examine a portion of Edward Snowden’s life in such personal detail only to dip slightly below the surface is a disappointing aspect. That aspect is fortunately overshadowed by some choice cinematography and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s fascinating portrayal of the titular figure.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Snowden worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013. He casually left work one day, flew to Hong Kong, and subsequently released thousands of classified NSA documents to The Guardian newspaper, revealing just how enmeshed the United States government was in the lives of everyday citizens. He was charged with espionage and theft by the Justice Department. He then flew to Moscow, where he was granted political asylum, and remains there to this day.
Again, Oliver Stone has directed a number of controversial films. Snowden, however, is far from controversial. The movie is critical of the government’s practices for sure, but Stone doesn’t quit hit the right notes in order to make the film stand out. It’s a simple story that doesn’t stray from its basic narrative. Unlike Stone’s other works, such as JFK, Snowden lacks a feeling of intimidation. Interestingly, Snowden merely examines its subject in a way that doesn’t provoke anger, fear or paranoia. Edward Snowden becomes paranoid, fearful, and upset throughout the film, but the audience doesn’t share his feelings. Instead, we only see him go through these things as observers. His life leading up to The Guardian report is more entertaining than thought-provoking. Shailene Woodley provides a relatively solid performance as his girlfriend Lindsay Mills, and, while their trial and tribulations together as a couple are interesting to watch, there’s little to chew on thematically.
Snowden still manages to be a decent film. The story never becomes dull given the interesting subject matter at hand, and while the commentary isn’t as solid as it should be, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance is at least worthy of Oscar consideration. At times, his portrayal is more dynamic than that of Snowden himself. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance is grounded in personal conflict, and the screenplay allows for some interesting themes to pop up here and there, even if they aren’t too thought-provoking, such as questioning superiors and keeping work and personal matters separate.
Stone eventually propagandizes Snowden, turning him into a hero of sorts near the end of the film, but it’s oddly out of place. One scene shows Snowden conversing with his mentor Corbin O’Brien through a webcam, O’Brien’s superiority on display as his face towers over Snowden’s. O’Brien makes a few eyebrow-raising statements, and suddenly Snowden is given carte blanche to do what he pleases in order to expose the government as corrupt and evil in Stone’s eyes. It’s easy to sympathize with Snowden in some aspect; whether or not you agree with what he did, the film is one-sided in its presentation of such a complex figure.
That being said, Snowden is biased and simple, and while it doesn’t offer up anything new on the subject, it still exemplifies Stone’s ability to craft reasonably entertaining films on touchy subjects with ease.
★★★
Note: This review was originally published in the Milligan Stampede. Some minor alterations have been made for contextual purposes.