by Karyn L. Beach

Traitor, Don Cheadle’s latest effort, performs a delicate balancing act, trying to show all sides of a very complicated issue without tipping too far in one direction or the other.

Samir Horn (Cheadle) is the son of a Sudanese father and American Muslim mother. He witnessed his father’s saw his father assassinated as a boy and came to live with his mother in the States. He is a man of conflicting loyalties but what holds him together is his faith. Samir also happens to be the one constant in a series of terrorist events and that has caught the eye of several FBI agents, the hot-headed Archer (Neal McDonough) and his Southern Baptist partner Clayton (who holds a Ph.D. in Arabic studies). They aren’t the only ones suspicious of Samir, after a raid in the middle of an arms negotiation, his Muslim allies are also suspicious, especially their leader Omar (Said Taghmaoui).

When the whole group gets thrown in a Yemen prison, however, things change. The Western-educated Omar and the American-raised Samir bond over chess, their faith and their English. They become friends. Before long, Omar has introduced Samir to the leaders of the largest and deadliest terrorist organizations and they are planning something terrible. As Samir gets deeper, he wonders exactly how far he’ll have to go and ultimately how much blood will be on his hands.

I liked Traitor because it explored the concept of betrayal on several levels. Of course, there is the obvious betrayal of country. Yet, it worked more for me when it delved into the betrayal of faith and of friendship.

Cheadle gives another masterful performance. His Samir is a man at odds with himself. He can understand all sides because he’s a little bit of all of them. Yet, instead of being influenced by any of them he uses his faith, and his understanding of it, to keep him focused and moving in the right direction. Still, he makes some very difficult choices and must face some dire consequences.

Initially, it was a bit difficult for e to engage in this movie. As it darted across the globe laying out all of the players, it was a bit too distant for me. However, as the movie moved along, and got deeper into Samir and his struggles, the complex nature of his life drew me in.

Definitely a movie to be discussed over coffee or dinner afterwards, Traitor is definitely a thinking man (or woman’s) thriller.