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Movies, Reviews 0

Snowden review

By Tony Polese · On September 30, 2016


Words by Fatema Sitabkhan

 

 

We at Eventalaide were fortunate enough to be invited to the special preview

screening of this month’s anticipated movie Snowden, starring Joseph-Gordon Levitt

and Shailene Woodley, among many other recognizable faces. Self-proclaimed

political filmmaker Oliver Stone has put together a story that gives us an insight into

a truly celebrated/hated/controversial individual who became a public figure in

2013.

 

 

Snowden is a chilling take on an interesting’s man life and how he gained the

reputation of being a “whistle-blower”, unravelling the secrets of the operations run

by the National Security Agency (NSA). While the biopic may not have shown

enough of the actual “hacking” process that led to Snowden becoming a public figure

for all the wrong reasons, we at Eventalaide still found this movie to be a fairly

decent demonstration of what exactly made Snowden the man he is today and how

his refugee status has been the centre of controversy, with regards to the American

law.

 

 

 

There may be a great number of reviews out there complaining about the lack of

specificity, when it comes to Snowden’s status as a CIA agent and then an NSA agent,

followed by the acquisition of the refugee status, but personally, I feel that this

movie has done a great job at portraying how Snowden stood up for who/what he

believed in and how he has come to terms with the fact that he is a wanted man by

the American authorities.

 

 

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance is admirable, as this is one of the very few

occasions where JGL has presented a raw and real enactment of a man’s life whose

story has captivated the world since he came into the spotlight. The movie is quick

in glazing over some important milestones in Snowden’s life (particularly in the last

couple of scenes), but at the same time, it provides us with a brief yet

comprehensive outline of how Snowden went from working for the NSA to

becoming a fugitive at large.

 

 

 

As one who heavily relies on the World of Internet to do almost everything – pay

bills, plan trips, gather information for an assignment, play games, and much, much

more – this movie made me rethink my behaviour just by switching on my

electronic device(s). Additionally, it has also re-ignited my childhood dream of

solving a Rubik’s Cube!

 

 

 

Snowden showcases how the things we take things for granted can end up either

making or breaking the dynamic of our lifestyle ten-fold. There are so many secrets

that have only been rumoured to be actions of the government, but Snowden may

have just proven some of them to be majorly legitimate.

 

 

 

While Snowden is predominantly based on factual events, it is soothing to see how

the movie projects a beautiful balance between the personal aspects of Snowden’s

lifestyle prior to, during, and after the NSA chapter and how that, in turn, affected

the way his professional career panned out. It’s a thought-provoking story that

imbibes in itself a number of characteristics. With a star-studded cast – including

Nicholas Cage and Zachary Quinto, the movie presents with a cheeky hint of

curiosity with the end of every scene. Snowden is an accurate representation of how

the face of this movie had his life turned upside down, simply for standing by his

principles and releasing classified information to the public for their own benefit.

 

 

The final scene of this movie touched me especially, as we got a glimpse of the man

himself. Hearing the man speak, I felt enthralled by his personality and could tell

that there was a feeling of remorse, but also of pride, in terms of doing something

for his county. There was a haunting connection established between JGL’s portrayal

of Edward Snowden and the man himself. This movie is the epitome of what a

minimalistic biopic is, but we can also sense the emotional chords within us being

strung in a deeply moving manner.

 

 

Of course, you are welcome to openly interpret this movie (and the man in focus) to

your liking – after all, controversies exist for a reason. Whether you see Snowden as

a hero, a patriot, or a traitor, a coward, this movie will stimulate your perspectives

on the issue and make you question everything you think you know about the

government and the way we are viewed in this world.

Snowden review
Tony Polese
September 30, 2016
8.5/10
8.5 Overall Score

AdelaideCinemaMoviessnowden
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