"B+" Rating by Robert W. Hammerle

"Traitor" is an absorbing, complex and intelligent contemporary thriller that is enjoyable on two levels. First and foremost, it is a movie centering on America's so-called "War on Terror" that is as enlightening as it is entertaining. Wonderfully nuanced, the characters are no one-dimensional stereotypes. There are no "good guys" or "evildoers," only human beings on both sides that are dedicated to defeating their adversaries.

Secondly, and maybe more importantly, "Traitor" is the first film that meaningfully addresses America's post-9/11 military strategy. Who are we fighting, and why? Does it matter how Al-Qaeda and its allies became radicalized against western society? Do we make a mistake in just trying to destroy them as opposed to making an attempt to understand how educated men became so suicidally inclined? This fine movie subtly asks probing questions while offering no easy solutions.

Furthermore, what sets this movie on a higher level as a drama are fine performances by two very underrated actors, Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce. Other than maybe Morgan Freeman, there is no actor on the screen today that is more authentic than Mr. Cheadle. As he illustrated in the splendid "Hotel Rwanda" (2004) and last year's superb "Talk To Me," there is no phony pretense to the characters Cheadle plays. He is an ordinary man with ordinary flaws who consistently strives to do the right thing in difficult situations.

Here, he is a munitions expert, an American citizen born in Sudan, who may or may not be a member of an international terrorist organization. Distrusted by Islamic terrorist as being a possible agent of the U.S. Government, he is simultaneously hunted by the F.B.I. as a central member of a terrorist cell responsible for death and destruction worldwide.

Simply put, Cheadle is marvelous as an emotionally weary man who neither loves nor hates anyone. A devout practicing Muslim, he is as offended by the American Government's demonizing of his religion as he is Al-Qaeda's callous manipulation of his faith to justify killing.

As his pursuer, Guy Pearce's F.B.I. agent is a dedicated professional trying to bring down terrorist organizations without using unnecessarily brutal tactics in the process. While he does not underestimate his opponent, he also knows that it is foolish to torture and humiliate individuals with potentially valuable information, almost all of them Muslims, when the end result will simply be to radicalize opposition to the United States as a whole.

I've always been a great admirer of Mr. Pearce's work. As an example, take a look at his extraordinary performance as the villainous adversary to James Caviezel in the "Count of Monte Cristo" (2002); his transvestite entertainer in the delightful "The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert" (1994); his ruthless yet conscientious killer in the western "The Proposition" (2006); and his tormented victim of short term memory loss in "Memento" (2001). Pearce has great range as an actor, and his F.B.I. agent in "Traitor" never loses sight of the central fact that America cannot win this battle against terrorism if we adopt the tactics of the terrorists themselves.

But the glue that holds this movie together is provided by Said Taghmaoui. He plays Omar, one of the leaders of the terrorist organization that Cheadle meets in Yemen. Taghmaoui gives a startling Oscar worthy performance as an extremist who is both homicidal and sympathetic. As Cheadle and Taghmaoui become intimate friends, this movie provides a portal into the mind and motivation of those we have been taught to despise.

And whether you like it or not, "Traitor" causes you to confront contradictions that many of us would rather avoid. For example, when Cheadle questions Taghmaoui concerning his violent designs, Taghmaoui responds in words to the effect, "Have you forgotten your American History? Weren't you Americans accused by the British of being terrorists during your own Revolution?"

Furthermore, when one of Pearce's fellow agents basically condemns all Muslims as being members of an extremist religion, Pearce memorably corrects him, reminding him of the fact that Christianity as a whole wasn't condemned just because the KKK wrapped up its murderous terrorist activities in its name. This comment reflects a movie that has the courage to look at devout people who are members of the Muslim faith in a manner that is both brave and laudatory.

In the end, I regret that I allowed my exchange student from Saudi Arabia, "Z," to opt out of going to this honest and praiseworthy film that has been flying under the publicity radar. While it in no way seeks to rationalize terrorists or their activities, "Traitor" stands alone in that it dares to explore their motivation. Equally important, it demonstrates the cost to all Muslims who have been brought under suspicion as a result of 9/11 and our country's policy since then.

The unerring message one draws from "Traitor" is that we cannot win a battle for civilization with bombs and bullets. We win by connecting with young people like "Z" on a personal level, and letting them connect with us.

Jesus was right. Gandhi was right. Martin Luther King was right. It's not too late for America to get it right.