Snowden

Oliver Stone is a very more experienced director, I like his U-Turn and Savages a lot, but after a four-year hiatus he returns with a mediocre film. At first I was more or less very satisfied, I like Joseph Gordon-Levitt a lot, but here I stopped enjoying it after an hour. As soon as the film started to deal with politics it went to shit, at least for me; on the one hand I don't care about it and on the other, I don't care about American politics at all. Finished with a slight suffering, Snowden himself is an interesting personality though.50% (07/12/2016)

A highly sensitive topic where I can't imagine anyone other than Oliver Stone taking on such material. He has a knack for portraying films set against a journalistic or political backdrop with a keen eye for detail, making the audience reflect on what's happening on the screen. The film itself tries to come across as very thoughtful and intelligent, so expect a lot of terms that might leave you puzzled about their meaning. On the other hand, the film also focuses a lot on Snowden's character, his inner struggle, and his thoughts about what is right and what isn't. I didn't understand all the tech jargon, but Oliver Stone presented the film in a way that it didn't really bother me in the end. A few times during the viewing, I felt the urge to destroy all my electronic devices—the glimpse under the metaphorical lid can open the eyes of many viewers, including mine. That's why I have to appreciate the real Snowden—such courage is rarely seen. Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn't intimidated by this role and delivered one of the best performances of his career so far; I also appreciate Rhys Ifans as the CIA higher-up. It's an interesting film that brings to life the story of a man who wasn't afraid to open a dangerous Pandora's box. For me, it gets 80%. (21/09/2019)

“Most Americans do not want freedom, they want security.” Snowden is a surprisingly lively and entertaining Oliver Stone flick with a good screenplay. Gordon-Levitt is believable and likeable as a noble, super-talented IT specialist, and the rest of the cast is pleasant enough (Woodley as his girlfriend, Ifans as the head of CIA and Quinto and Wilkinson as journalists). The rendering of a controversial topic that offers both suspense and humor (Nicolas Cage’s character) is well balanced. The pathetic tickling in the end is bearable, as the movie knows what it wants to say and puts its heart into it, which is the most important thing. [Cannes] (19/05/2016)

In the end, I didn't mind too much that Oliver Stone glorifies his hero quite unreservedly and once again (yet like almost always) makes a sharp rebuke of a malevolent American administration. In fact, the film stands on pretty solid ground and, given Stone's usual tendentiousness, is moderate within reason. Yes, it's much more of a political statement than a "real person's story," but you simply can't teach old Oliver new tricks. It's worth mentioning, though, that cinematically it's once again an extravaganza, and I'm still very much enjoying that engaging visual style of Stone's. Incredible work with camera filters. A nice 4 stars. (21/02/2020)

"I think I'm free because I don't have to worry about tomorrow. I'm happy with what I've done today." - When watching Snowden, anyone with a modicum of judgment has to realize what a fucked up world we live in. Oliver Stone handled the highly publicized scandals with dignity. His film is quite a clear and in many ways disturbing statement about the state of contemporary society. (85%) (16/10/2021)