Snowden

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)

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)

The director Oliver Stone really shines through the movie. You don’t really buy all the dialogues, but the picking on America is apparent in almost every scene. The wide range of actors backing him is really interesting, so a number of interesting faces appears throughout the movie. Anyway, the most important thing here is Snowden and Joseph Gordon-Lewitt portrayed him fantastically. However, when it comes to the screenplay, it is really boring. The film wants to say something more, but in the end leaves us with what we already know from the media. And whether you agree with Snowden or not really doesn’t matter. The essential is what happened on the Internet since the affair and it only confirmed the myths and theories that have been and still are revolving around the Internet. (14/01/2018)

Oliver Stone remains just as critical, slightly caustic and interesting. I'm a little worried that this patriot won't be doing anything more than dissecting American’s biting problems, and that's a bit of a shame (the glorious and "differently" conceived Alexander). On the other hand, Snowden is an interesting subject, decently handled and easy to grasp for an ordinary viewer unfamiliar with the case – even a complete illiterate can understand what is happening in the film and what is related to what. For die-hard political scientists and would-be pundits, however, it may not be the right fit, It's not pure documentary style, they wanted it to be good to go to the cinema and the purpose is fulfilled. (20/11/2016)