Movies - Syriana

	Movies - Syriana

Overview

The film is told through parallel stories with jumping from location to location.

American Energy giant Connex once had control of key Mideast oil fields in an unnamed emirate ruled by the al-Subaai family. However, the country's foreign minister, Prince Nasir (Alexander Siddig) has granted natural-gas drilling rights to a Chinese company. Nasir's move greatly upsets the American oil industry and government. Meanwhile Killen, a smaller oil company, has won the drilling rights to key oil fields in Kazakhstan. Connex has lost production capacity and needs the Kazakh oil field to make up for it; to that end, they initiate a merger with Killen. Following a historic but shadowy merger, Connex-Killen becomes the fifth largest oil company in the world and the 23rd largest economy in the world. American anti-trust regulators at the Department of Justice (DOJ) have some misgivings about the deal.

The Washington law firm headed by Dean Whiting (Christopher Plummer) is hired to smooth the way, and the taciturn African-American Bennett Holiday (Jeffrey Wright) is assigned. Whiting explains that suspicions of bribing foreign officials must be confronted, satisfying the DOJ that the parties in the merger have exercised due diligence in investigating any past crimes. It is clear, however, that Whiting expects that Holiday will make sure that no reasons are found to block the merger.

Bryan Woodman (Matt Damon) is an energy analyst based in Switzerland. Woodman's supervisor directs him to attend a private party hosted by the emir at his estate in Marbella, Spain, to offer his company's analytical services. Woodman is unwilling, because it will be his son's birthday, but he is told to take his family with him to enjoy the party. At the party, Woodman is prevented from speaking directly with the emir, who is busy showing off the estate's remotely controlled electronic systems to the Chinese oil executives. They try to control the swimming pool's lighting system, but it's not working properly.

Two of the emir's men ask Woodman to explain his proposal while standing in the hallway, in front of other guests, which makes Woodman very uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Woodman's elder son, who seems slightly ill-at-ease with the other children at the party, is encouraged to jump into the pool to play a game. The child jumps in but is paralysed by the electricity. The power is then cut and Woodman jumps in to get his son. The electrical problem has however resulted in the 6 year old boy's electrocution and death.

In reparation and out of sympathy for the loss of his son, Prince Nasir grants Woodman's company key oil interests worth 75 million USD and invites Woodman to become his economic advisor. Prince Nasir confides in Woodman that all is not as it appears. As it turns out, the Prince knows that oil dependency is not sustainable in the long term , desires to break away from American economic dependence and utilize his nation's oil profits to build a long term infrastructure and introduce democratic reforms to his country. In contrast to the reactionary, fundamentalist, status quo of his father's government (which has been supported by American interests), Prince Nasir is dedicated to the idea of progressive reform. The western educated prince informs Woodman that he wants to improve the lives of his people, advance the status of women, and create a parliamentary system on liberal lines - but the U.S. stands in the way. Woodman learns of Nasir's plans for democratic reform, which correspond to his assessment of the country's interests. Nasir hopes to succeed his father the emir, but his younger brother, happy with his playboy lifestyle and happy to continue the status quo(such as american military presence), is chosen. Nasir arranges a military coup, but on the verge of its execution, American officials arrange an attack on his vehicle by a Predator-drone-style weapon system.

Robert Barnes (George Clooney) is a veteran CIA field operative who is being used by the CIA to stop Middle Eastern illegal arms trafficking. While on an assignment in Tehran to assassinate two arms dealers, Barnes notes that one of two Stinger missiles that were supposed to have been destroyed in the explosion that killed the two Iranian traffickers was given to a blue-eyed Arab who did not speak Persian. After Barnes makes his superiors nervous by writing memos drawing attention to the theft of the second missile, Barnes is proposed for a desk job, but as a field agent he is unaccustomed to the political discretion required, quickly embarrasses the wrong person by speaking his mind, and is sent back to field work — specifically arranging the assassination of Prince Nasir. Barnes travels to Lebanon and seeks safe passage from a Hezbollah imam, who is apparently unaware of his CIA role. Barnes then contacts a mercenary with whom he has worked before, named Mussawi, whom Barnes addresses as "Jimmy," to his annoyance. Barnes hires Mussawi to murder Nasir. But Barnes's contact turns out to be an Iranian agent, who has Barnes kidnapped. Mussawi tortures Barnes, seeking information about the Tehran assassination. With Barnes's execution seeming certain, he is saved by the Hezbollah imam, who interrupts Mussawi and frees Barnes. The CIA scapegoats Barnes on his return to headquarters, despite his record as a loyal and dedicated agent. An unexplained link is made here to the law firm head, Whiting, who ensures the release of Barnes' passports through his powerful political connections, after being threatened. Barnes eventually learns what is behind his mistreatment, and attempts to warn Prince Nasir before he is assassinated, but apparently dies with the Prince in the assassination.

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