Traffic (DVD)

...for the DVD/video release of Traffic for some time. Having done well at the Oscars and having been universally acclaimed in the press, I was keen to see what all the hype was about. In this day and age, it makes a change for a film without dinosaurs, superheroes or computer game heroines to receive so much attention. Traffic is without a doubt an excellent film. It is thought provoking, well crafted and well acted and makes for two and half-hours ...
...style and content. Traffic is a social commentary on the modern day drugs issue. It attempts to share the perspective of the police with that of the politicians, as well as providing an insight into the lives of the dealers and the users. Given the magnitude of the issue, two and a half hours seems like an extremely short period of time in which to do this, but the film makers have crafted a well-considered story that manages to combine all these ...

LostWitness 29.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...the films I got was Traffic (expect a few movie reviews in the coming weeks!), having heard good things about it from the movie media, and knowing that Benecio Del Toro won an Oscar for his supporting role. The story, in simple terms, revolves around drug trafficking between the USA and Mexico. Michael Douglas plays a hotshot judge who is given a position similar to that of the drug czar that that Halliwell guy has in our country. Douglas goes into ...
...bit of effort and money would solve all sundry when it comes to the ever increasing drug problem in American society. What an ironic twist of fate it is when he later finds out that his own daughter is a drug addict. Del Toro, in the meantime, plays a Mexican police officer who is genuine in his purpose and method of addressing Mexico’s own drug problems, while Catherine Zeta Jones portrays herself as the wife of a powerful narcotics lord ...

kleft 07.09.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...The Concept Traffic is a really intelligent look at the world of drug trafficking and offers a broad scale of insight. We see the trafficking process from its beginning in Mexico where attempts at its deterrence are much beleaguered by corruption, through to America's infinitely more constitutional attempt at tackling the problem. We are also the given the chance to see the happy upper class lives of those responsible for the drugs distribution ...
...the street and its effect on individuals and their families. The film involves countless harrowing scenes of habitual drug use and lacks the glamour with which drugs are all too often associated with these days. The flagrant snorting of cocaine and disturbing scenes involving both the smoking and injecting of Heroine are intensely compelling and the audience is not patronised or guarded from the rawness of these acts in any way. This makes the film ...

j22o2 20.11.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

This film won a lot of awards when it was released, 4 Oscars and 5 Golden Globe Awards, and was also in receipt of much critical acclaim. The first time that I saw this film I was disappointed and certainly did not feel that it deserved the praise that it received. However, having recently watched it for a second time I have changed my opinion somewhat. The film deals with the drug problem in the United States, however where it differs from other ...
...the story though three interlinked mini stories that serve to portray the impact of the drug trade on suppliers, users and those in place to prevent the trade. There are some big name actors in this film but no one stands out as the star as each storyline is given equal picture time. The director Steven Soderburgh, who won a best director oscar, switches between each storyline shooting each in a different colour. Time to own up but I only realised ...

atticusuk 21.06.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

TRAFFIC (US 2000) directed & cinematographed by Steven Soderbergh written by Stephen Gaghan based on the miniseries “Traffik” by Simon Moore produced by Laura Brickford Marshall Herskovitz & Edward Zwick composed by Cliff Martinez edited by Stephen Mirrione starring Benicio Del Toro Jacob Vargas Michael Douglas Thomas Milian Luis Guzmán Don Cheadle Catherine Zeta-Jones Miguel Ferrer Steven Bauer Amy Irving Erika Christensen ...
...and smart and the editing is good, but it drags too often in overlong “inner thoughts” shots, which stresses the patience. At the Oscars Traffic was nominated for Best Picture and won prizes for adapted script, editing, support Del Toro and director. Overrated, yet quality stuff. Rating: B – ...

marselluswallace14 04.11.2001 (06.11.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

--------Introduction-------- The film is directed by Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight/ Erin Brockenvich) and contains many high profile actors. This was a film nominated for some 8 Oscars and eventually winning 4 including 'Best Director' for Soderbergh. It is a film largely based on a mini series 'Traffik' which was on Channel 4 over 10 years ago. More information on this is contained on the 'Extra Features' of this DVD. We will be reviewing the ...
...film about: The Storyline-------- There are 3 separate interrelated stories with 3 distinctive looks. Each has an overriding theme - that being the war on drugs. In one story we see Michael Douglas play Robert Wakefield. He was an Ohio Supreme Court Judge and since has been appointed by the US President to be the new drugs czar. This story deals with himtrying to tackle the drugs problem for his country, yet at the same time sees his 16 year old ...

MrTink12 25.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

Illegal drugs, from cannabis to heroin, are big business across the world. There is no shortage of demand, there is no shortage of money to be made from dealing and consequently there is a war going on between law enforcement officers (how American) and drug dealers and users. This is of course only one perspective and this film does a fairly good job of challenging that explanation. The film is told through a variety of different characters (over ...
...new Drugs Czar, Bob Wakefield, through to the excellent Benecio Del Toro as the Mexican cop, Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez. The cast list is impressive and unsuprisingly the acting is a really high standard throughout. There is no real central plot, we are just flicked back and forth between the various lives onscreen, each with a common theme of drugs. We dip in and out of side stories and sub-plots which contrast and complement each other, mirroring ...

setimerenptah 27.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...attracted to going to see Traffic after being impressed by Steve Soderbergh's other films. Most notably 'Sex Lies and Videotape' and 'Erin Brockovich'. Once again he has proved his versatility as a director. The film: The film tells the story of a newly commissioned Drugs ambassador whose mission is to rid America of the drug problem. The film does not try to hide the fact that this is a near impossible task and makes for rather depressing viewing. ...
...The whole movie is shot in a 'home video' way to make it feel more gritty and realistic. This works to great effect. All of the scenes that occur in Mexico are shot in a almost colourless sepia affect. This serves two purposes, a) to let the audience know where they currently are and b) to portray Mexico as even more disturbing than America. The drugs ambassador (played by Michael Douglas) also has to contend with the fact that his daughter is ...

michaelcrook 11.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...US. The problems with Traffic are many, and I'll try and list them. Firstly, the 3 storylines. While fine for the longer time-scale of a mini-series, trying to fit in 3 stories into 1 film is a non-starter. Each thread could have made a good film on its own, but lobbing the 3 together just doesn't work. It shows quite prominently that this film was adapted from a mini-series, and you feel that perhaps a remake of the mini-series AS a mini-series, ...
...attention wander. Not only is Traffic painfully slow, it is painfully dull, and 3 hours (give or take) is far too long for this kind of film. My girlfriend Kirsty actually fell asleep! As I stated above, perhaps 2 films of around 1 hr 45 mins would have enabled a more exciting and entertaining telling of the story, instead of the slow-yet-rushed feel we have here. Thirdly, I feel the direction was poor. Yes, I know Sodernergh won an oscar for it, ...

superpricee 20.08.2001 (21.08.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

This film will not suit everyone, of that I am quite sure. It is a film that sends out a strong message, that the war against Drug Trafficking can never be won. That fact alone left me thinking about the whole issue of Drug legalisation and whether that would make any difference to the situation. The film stars Michael Douglas and Katherine Zeta Jones. Another surprise - if you think you are going to see some on screen chemistry between them, wrong, ...
...you were expecting a ouzi shoot out in every scene, again you will be disappointed. The film is so well put together that it doesn't actually need to include the usual high body count to enhance it. The film has 3 seperate plots. Firstly we have Michael Douglas (a very underrated actor) playing the part of the USA's new Drug Czar. His mandate is to make a serious difference to the flow of Drugs entering the country. The more questions he asks the ...

murky5 05.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

The movie “Traffic” is based on a mini series (“Traffik”) which appeared on Channel 4 in the late 80’s. It’s a film about drugs, if you want to sum it up in one word. It’s about pretty well everything you can think of to do with drugs – taking them, for pleasure, as part of an addiction… smuggling them, coming off them, policing them… The acting is very good throughout. None of the actors is allowed to be seen as the ‘star’ – and when you think ...
...Jones and Dennis Quaid, this is some feat. In this respect I would liken the film to “Short Cuts” or “Magnolia”. Remember Tom Cruise’s brilliant performance, where he appears in a relatively small, but very significant, part of the storyline? These are the kind of roles that Douglas and Zeta Jones have in “Traffic”. So don’t worry if you don’t normally like their movies (that was certainly true of me) – they won’t spoil “Traffic” for you! Another ...

rsmith 18.04.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

Hmmm...I was looking the other day and realised I'd written lots of positive reviews lately, although I suppose positive things stick in my mind better. I haven't really slated anything since Charlie's Angels, and was wandering if I would again. Then we went to the video shop and got Traffic. Right...Traffic. On the box it says its one of the best movies ever (mind you, most movies do) and all I remember hearing about it when it came out was great ...
...Zeta Jones (anyone remember the Darling Buds of May?!), Dennis Quaid and more. I was expecting to be impressed. The plot is about America's war on drugs, with Michael Douglas playing a high-ranking US official with the task of breaking down the flow of Drugs into America. However, he is taking on some of the richest and most powerful drugs cartels, and the story gets personal when we find out Douglas's daughter is an addict. Please note, I used ...

Pleb 26.09.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...have seen this year, yet it is strangely not as entertaining nor as enjoyable as it should have been. However, although the film is nearly two and a half hours long, Traffic does not drag at all, such is the compelling nature of the acting and the direction. Overall 6/10 ...

Alex1226 26.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

...impressive resume indeed and with Traffic he has enhanced it still further. The film consists of three loosely connected stories that cover differing aspects of the drug trade in America. Ambitious though it is Soderbergh’s direction keeps the film moving along at a pace that seems to defy the long two and half-hour running time. The exceptional cast all turn in good performances in a film that contains over 100 speaking roles. The first ...
...based in Mexico. It stars Benicio Del Toro as a cop, Javier Rodriguez Rodriguez, who is caught in a world of corruption that his integrity struggles to combat. Benicio has starred in a range of films including Usual Suspects in which he played Fred Fenster and also the bizarre Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in which he played the drugged-up lawyer, but it is this film that will really put him on the map. His screen presence is formidable and his ...

Mercury 30.01.2001 (03.04.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)

Can a film about drugs and it's affects ever be done well? In other words be realistic and have commercial success. Unlikely. But Steven Soderbergh has made an arresting film that will keep most hooked until the end. The film, in the genre of so many films lately, has several loosely related subplots all concerned with drug trafficking in one way or another: The drug csar who has yet to discover his daughter is on drugs, the cops who have to keep ...
...the drug baron; the wife of the drug baron trying to comprehend that her fairytale lifestyle has been funded by her husband's drug smuggling business and the two Cops from Tijuana, Mexico trying to survive on $360 a month, who become unwittingly involved in the exploits of the local drug cartel. Confused, don't worry. Soderbergh employs varying shades of sepia to colour the different aspects of his tale along with plenty of on-screen info to keep ...

Edy 14.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Traffic (DVD)