Early '00s Steven Soderbergh was a unique cinematic experience, as the famed director's style is synonymous with this era. 'Traffic' is perhaps the most recognizable of these, as the drug drama tracks parallel stories that are all intersected and have serious overtones.
While 'Traffic' felt fresh at the time, it comes across as being dated these days, from the blue tint to the transitions and other editing techniques that have thankfully been left in the past. Still, the film's story is a compelling one, as it looks at the devastation caused by illegal narcotics and our failed war to combat them. The all-star cast led by Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Benicio Del Toro makes things interesting, as each of them are the star of their own mini-drama.
Despite its uniqueness, 'Traffic' has its weak spots. For one, it feels longer than it should, likely due to the fact that multiple storylines are crammed together. It also comes across as preachy in a way, although clearly the takeaway is that we need to get serious as a nation about how we address drug trafficking (which, more than 20 years later, we're still struggling with).
It may not be remembered as a classic, but 'Traffic' had its moment and has an enduring message that is still relevant today.
While 'Traffic' felt fresh at the time, it comes across as being dated these days, from the blue tint to the transitions and other editing techniques that have thankfully been left in the past. Still, the film's story is a compelling one, as it looks at the devastation caused by illegal narcotics and our failed war to combat them. The all-star cast led by Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Benicio Del Toro makes things interesting, as each of them are the star of their own mini-drama.
Despite its uniqueness, 'Traffic' has its weak spots. For one, it feels longer than it should, likely due to the fact that multiple storylines are crammed together. It also comes across as preachy in a way, although clearly the takeaway is that we need to get serious as a nation about how we address drug trafficking (which, more than 20 years later, we're still struggling with).
It may not be remembered as a classic, but 'Traffic' had its moment and has an enduring message that is still relevant today.