In the 1930s the Warners gangster cycle was sold as movies made off newspaper headlines. The International is, the end credits suggest, made off today’s headlines. I think that’s true except the newspapers don’t explain what’s behind the events; this film does. Based on the premise that international finance is corrupt (who’s going to argue with that?) the film investigates ‘how much can good people do?’
If that sounds too heavy then the film delivers as a thriller with a fantastic set piece in the Guggenheim museum that has shades of Michael Mann. Clive Owen’s hero remains human and fear leaks off him when he’s under fire: he’s no Bourne killing machine or Bond poser.
From the opening sequence Tom Tykwer’s direction is gripping and locations, numerous cities across Europe, as well as New York, are used brilliantly. There’s a constant refrain of overhead shots making people seem like ants; referencing Harry Lime’s speech in The Third Man (1949). The International has the kick of an early ’70s ‘New Hollywood’ paranoia thriller with an intense topicality that makes it the first ‘must see’ movie of 2009 and international-European filmmaking at its best.
itp Global Film 
There were moments in the first half of the film when I thought: “this isn’t working”. But these were only moments and in the end I think it worked very well. I’ve rarely seen a film which used the familiar hopping from one iconic location to another so effectively. It has to be one of the great films about architecture as well as paranoia. Still puzzled by the Naomi Watts role and I think the script is the weakness in terms of dialogue and characterisation. Great ending tho’. Tykwer has a real talent for making great visual movies.
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