I have to see this movie. My nephew was 1/2 an extra in it. My nephew is trying to be an actor in NYC. Some of the scenes at the Guggenheim were filmed in on a sound stage in Europe, some at the actual museum in NYC. Instead of pulling all the extras across the ocean they hired people in NY that looked like the extras they had already used in Europe. I went there that day to watch filming but they only did a couple of exterior shots. Everything interior was closed off to the public so I didn't get any glimpses of Owen or Watts.

Am I the only one that has seen this so far? Went this morning. Thought it was really good. I don't understand the negative reviews. It wasn't boring or slow at all. Not for me anyway. My 10:20 AM showing was sold out. Huge theater. And the audience was completely quiet the whole time. I don't think one person got up for food or a bathroom break. I'd give it 8/10.

Were they all asleep?

Did you happen to see my nephew. He was the blonde haired kid running from the Guggenheim in the finale?

I found the first third of this film to be a bit on the plodding side of things, mainly due to the CSI nature of how leads are found that push the plot along, and how little we know of the protagonists (Louis, played by Clive Owen, and Ellie, played by Naomi Watts, which doesn't quite give the audience a hook into the film), but the middle section was pretty intense, though the final act sort of peters out. But I did like some of the shots that director Tykwer composed, but the film felt long to me, and if tightened up a bit, it could have been a better film-going experience. I'm still a fan of Tykwer's, though. I don't mind cursing, but the cursing in this film felt "off" to me, it was like, well it's going to be R rated, so let's toss in some curse words.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.

Wow - this fucking sucked. For every interesting scene, we got 20 minutes of boring exposition immediately after. Yeah, the Guggenheim scene was cool and was the only moment where Tykwer got to do ANYTHING remotely interesting visually but that's it. IBBC was a horrible 'Villain' and all the thick dialogue about their dealings brought the movie to a screeching halt at all turns...and Naomi Watts has absolutely NOTHING to do here... easily one of the least thrilling THRILLERS I've seen in recent memory... just boring as hell. If you're thinking about this one, see TAKEN instead. 1.5/5

Thanks for putting Tom Tykwer's name in your post's title. I had know idea he directed this movie (or had anything to do with it) until I read your title. Now I'm interested in seeing it...Thanks a lot

^Resist that urge! :P

I would agree that Taken was a far superior thriller. Even though it was supposed to be a thriller and not an actioner, I felt there were a couple areas they really should have amped up the action.



The Guggenheim scene was great. But since you were having all that action, the movie need more to keep things moving. More walkie, less talkie.

My nephew was in the Guggenheim scene but I couldn't tell which scenes were the sound stage and which were actual scenes inside the Guggenheim. There was one scene at the beginning which looked like him but I couldn't tell if it was him, or his counterpart in Europe on the soundstage. When I get the DVD maybe there will be a commentary telling me which was which. And he should be able to tell which scenes were his.

I give it a 2/5 or a C. A decent rental but if my nephew wasn't in it would never be a purchase. Push was a crappy movie but had plenty of action and pulled it out with a decent final act. That needed to be less frenetic. International was better done but need to be amped up. The final act was too long and a letdown after the buildup of the middle act.

Saw this today and was disappointed, although I wasn't expecting all that much from the trailer. I love Tykwer, particularly Perfume and Lola, but this film had a worn out, seen it too many times plot which was unnecessarily murky. Aside from the Guggenheim sequence, which was spectacular, there's little to recommend and I couldn't have cared less about any of the characters.

How many times have we seen directors who make great films on small budgets fall apart when they get a lot of money thrown at them?

**/**** (mostly for the Guggenheim)

Edit: I looked it up and I see that The International had a budget of $50 million and Perfume had a budget of $60 million. So I somewhat take back my comment about money. But still, I think The International has more of a "big movie" look.

I caught it last night only due to my love of Tykwer, but came away a little bit disappointed.

While the film looks slick, the film isn't interesting and has major pacing issues. I didn't have that much of a problem with it starting off slow, but after the scene at the Guggenheim, the film walks casually to the finish line rather than running to it (which it should've).

I think the biggest offender after the Guggenheim scene where Owen interrogates Armin Mueller-Stahl. I swear to God, that scene felt like it lasted nearly a half an hour and after that point, I was just waiting for the film to end.

I'm just happy the film ended where it did. I was awaiting a boring epilogue that probably would've taken up another thirty minutes, but thankfully Tyker was smart enough to do it during the credits.

again, here I think I had to do with the script - which for some reason I found confusing at times. I didn't care for the overhyped 'Taken' nor was I wowed by this either.

some scenes were shot with 65mm camera/film stock - I'm sure that most of that budget went to that aspect.

I like watching Clive Owens act, I think he's a real talent.

The film was 'meh', more a political message than interesting thriller.

The guy who played the hitman added a lot to that scene in the museum. Which was a full on action scene.

I didn't think the movie was a bad as some have said. Just not very good.

With all due respect, no way in hell. And I know I'm deep deep in the minority here. But I found "Taken" to be laugh out loud bad. And this is coming from quite possibly the biggest Luc Besson fan around. I was so anxious to see "Taken", I bought the movie on DVD from the U.K. (Blu-Ray). Then found out it was locked so had to go see it in the theater anyway. Sure, it's not the most original story or concept, but the screenplay was absolutely terrible. And even though "The International" was unbelievable too, the script was a gazillion times better. As was the acting.

I'm working from pure entertainment value. in Taken I'll admit the leaps of faith were astronomical, the originality was non-existant and the story of the daughter wanting to be a singer was hokey. But you know what, I loved it. It was a roller coaster ride, you go around in circles and don't see anything new but boy is it fun. For The International everything on paper said this should have been a better movie. In actuality they ended up with 2 hours of exposition around a great 10 minute action scene. I wanted to love the movie, my nephew was an extra in it so I need to own it. I just wish I enjoyed it more. And enjoyment means not having to listen about what has happened, is happening, or might happen. Show me the action.

That Gugenheim shootout was badass. I liked this one a lot. Lacking in some scenes, but overall pretty solid.

The main thing that I took away from this movie that I didn't mention in my review of it was that I saw it in DLP, and it was stunning. I really liked the look that Tykwer brought to the film, and I think the cinematography, although it is of course very much the cinematographer's vision, was something that gave me the sensation of Tykwer's fingerprints on the movie.

Damn! Would have loved to have seen this in DLP. Because, as always, Tykwer's cinematography is gorgeous. I'll be getting this one on BD. I just wish "Heaven" would be released in that format too. But I doubt it ever will.

A question for those who have seen it:

Finally seen this, which I wanted to see when it was in theaters but never got around to it. I thought it was really good. I thought the pacing was decent, and the shootout was pretty awesome, but overall it was a very good thriller, plus I will watch anything that Naomi Watts is in.

Whereas the story was interesting, the dialogue really killed my enjoyment of the film. "This isn't over" must have been said a million times. Nice acting, even if Naomi Watts had nothing to do, and that Guggenheim action sequence was very cool indeed. Beautiful cinematography and music, too.

My nephew was an extra in the Guggenheim scene. That was the only scene in the movie worth watching. It seemed like the entire movie was exposition

Was he the blonde haired kid running from the Guggenheim?