Argo

ARGO

Director Ben Affleck

Cert. 15

Running time: 120 minutes

This film won the best picture award at this year’s Oscars.

Based on a true incident, the background is the occupation of the American Embassy in Tehran by revolutionary guards in support of the Iranian Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. This lasted from November 1979 until January 1981.

As the compound was being invaded, six Americans managed to escape and find shelter in the Canadian ambassador’s house. How to get them out to safety? An off-the-wall idea is mooted in the US that if the group could be passed off as a Canadian film crew who happened to be in Iran scouting for a location for a science fiction movie (titled Argo) it might be possible to get them through Mehrabad Airport, onto a Swissair flight and away. One of the characters describes the plan as ‘The best bad idea we’ve got’.

Edge of your seat

Ben Affleck not only directs, but also plays the CIA operative who goes into Iran to execute this unlikely mission. The film sadly uses a lot of bad language, but interestingly uses news footage from the time to bring authenticity. It is an edge-of-your-seat drama all the way through, and the fact that this incident (more or less) actually took place on January 28 1980 adds a sense of satisfaction to it.

Is there a message?

I’m not sure it is meant to be much more than a telling of a ripping yarn. If it does have a deeper message, it is likely to be about the ongoing conflict between the values of Islam and those of the West. Postmodern filmgoers perhaps are being assured that the conscious clever fantasies of Hollywood are still able to outrun the foolish fantasy of flat-footed fundamentalist religion. On the other hand, one critic’s comment about the plot, that it was so unlikely it had to be true, reminded me of the gospel — a virgin birth, a crucified Saviour, resurrection, etc.