Advertising for Nachmanoff's hard-hitting, duel-sided political thriller has - for a change - been entirely spot on. Depicting serious faces, action sequences, epic shots and the occasional quiet moment of characterisation, the trailer sums up the film perfectly… which is rather unfortunate, as had it chosen a more streamlined structure and singular vision, the starpower and substantial budget may have churned this into essential viewing. Instead, Traitor is both a well made and engaging film, which is great, though one often feels the filmmakers were striving for something greater.

Starring Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, The Ocean's series) and Guy Pearce (Memento, LA Confidential), Traitor weaves a gripping (and occasionally convoluted) tale of former US soldier turned bomb-maker Samir (Cheadle). A straight-faced, kind and deep-thinking individual, Samir is not a naturally violent man (though easily spurned into a stylish, martial arts action sequence to defend a fellow inmate's wellbeing). However, he is a man of faith. A devout Muslim from an early age, his beliefs form a hefty moral shield. Unfortunately, it's these same principles that lead him into the arms of a cell of Islamic extremists (Including Said Taghmaoui as soulful middle management, Omar, and a slimy, besuited Alyy Khan as Fareed).

… and I'll stop there, as it's story's twists and turns are some of Traitor's most redeeming features.

To start, this is an exceptionally well made film. Shot mostly on location, supplemented by A grade special effects and a score that roams comfortably between middle eastern and traditional espionage, Traitor is eminently watchable from beginning to end, assisted in part by a cast well suited to their roles. Cheadle is reliable - as per usual - offering Samir a quiet assurance, while adding an air of believability to his American-born "terrorist" that could well have ended in incredulity. Along for the ride, Pearce's Clayton plays well as the empathetic government operative, a learned man willing to sift through shades of grey in search of the truth. With his gruff, southern accent and straight-forward demeanor, he's definitely in fine form (though some would consider stereotypical in his non-stereotypicality). McDonough glides along, injecting little of himself into the sometimes obvious dialogue, and though Taghmaoui and Khan both play decidedly interesting roles in the beginning, neither reveals anything particularly memorable by the end.

This is a themic film, one that tries very hard to explore ideas often considered taboo in this day and age. Does America have the right to police the world, when surely they've surely committed equally horrifying atrocities of their own? Is it fair to demonize these people, given that fundamental extremists of any social order can be just as - if not more - zealous and misguided. Unfortunately, it's in the manner in which it deals with these issues that allows Traitor to fall into "Midday Movie" territory. Often approached with a heavy hand, such serious issues require a far more deft touch - or possibly a hammer-blow to the face - if they ever hope to have their intended impact.

Still, this is a movie America may well need at the moment, one that paints the Islamic faith in a very real and sympathetic light, refusing to simplify its terrorists as moustache twirling black-hats, instead comparing their cause to our own yearning for truth and justice, divine or otherwise. And in that respect this film is, by and large, a success... if not the action-packed web of political intrigue one may expect upon entering the cinema.