Mladen Radic

`Leak' starts with one of the best opening scenes I have seen in last few years. At first, it seems it's just another way to spend some movie tape and to add some length. But then we realize what's goin' on. And then becomes shocking. So is the whole movie: starts like some easy pop song but ends in a hardcore rhythm.

The story is about corruption in police. Two main characters, one policeman and one criminal are different, of course, but they have one thing in common: they had been good friends one time ago. So, they meet again, and the race begins. The race to survive. Who'll be the lucky one? There is a thin line that's just waiting to be crossed…

If you like American movies too much, you may be disappointed. Well, yes, there is lot of action goin' round but there are no super heroes in this movie, no dirty harrys, no almighty gunmen, no immortal avengers who enjoy their revenge more than everything. This film is not made for fun. This is a European movie, strong and realistic.

I saw this movie in an old fortress, it was 1.30 a. m. when the movie started and after one hour I wanted to go home because everything started to look too familiar. Fortunately, I didn't leave.

There is a scene at the beginning of this motion picture when one of the leading characters says that he had made a vow. A vow that he would remain virgin until he cuts three heads with one move of the sword. When you hear that, you know what you can expect. Is good to see a European movie which is directed perfectly, a spectacle with many action scenes, excellent actors and three hours in it's running time, is good to. But hey, people, where is the plot, where are the characters?! Oh, gee, I knew we forgot something!

So, what's wrong? First, the plot. Story of battles between Cossacs and Polish in 15th century and a love story put there in the middle. All right, we know that all sides hate their enemies, but it's nothing new. My country was in war till five years ago, I know that war is awful, but `With fire and sword' is not an anti-war movie. Oh, no, and this is its second and biggest problem. Our `heroes' are introduced at the beginning of the movie, they are all nice & courageous and they fight against Cossacs and Turkish. And what do they do? They kill everyone, they torture, they act exactly like their enemies. So why should I trust them? They don't feel even a bit of pity, a bit of remorse, they don't have a single doubt about that if they should fight and kill. They go, they fight, they kill - and there are rivers of blood running on the screen. Cossacs and Turkish are shown like beasts, most of them are gays and there is even a sort of witch-lesbian(!) Our `heroes' are perfectly straight, they have even a beautiful Izabella Scorupco on their side, and they cut heads with sadistic pleasure. And they don't consider another option. Not even for a moment.

Is that the message of the movie?

`Traffic' is a silent rage. Slow and devastating, like a virus. Maybe we don't see that, because we expect to have fun, we just expect to spend a quiet evening and then (maybe) to go to sleep. Still, there's so much more in the movie than the gathering of stars like Douglas, Del Toro, Cheadle, Guzman, Finney, Zeta-Jones, Quaid and others. There is a story based on questions so many times asked before. But, are there any answers? Yes, there are answers – but – do you really want to hear them?

The movie is not pessimistic. The story of a drug traffic that involves many sides in it doesn't even pretend to be didactical, although it may seem so. Sure, you can learn much, but director's only intention (so seems to me) is to tell a story. In a matter of fact, to tell more stories which are united around the same topic. Steven Soderbergh is very intelligent director, he can't always stand a cliché (just take a look at his `Schizopolis'), and he must do something with it. He uses yellow filter on camera for scenes that are happening in Mexico so we can almost feel the heat, and blue one for the scenes in Washington. He puts his protagonists in the close-ups so we can know them better. One last `trick' that S. uses are the roles of Steven Bauer and Miguel Ferrer. In this movie they both play drug merchants, but in the non-fiction miniseries `Drug Wars' (1990) they both played DEA agents that were fighting against drug traffic in Mexico. Oh yes, in this movie, for a change, people in Mexico do speak Spanish, all the time. When I compare `Traffic' to `Traffik' (the original British series) I can only say that Soderbergh knew what he was doing. Do you want me to explain that? Then see the `Traffik' first.

`Traffic' is slow. So, if you want action, better look some other way. But if you want something that you'd remember the next day, when you wake up, this could be one of the best choices you can make.