Traffic

Traffic is one of the best drug films ever. It has fantastic technical execution, especially the handheld camera and filters, and fantastic editing, all of this gives it a very impressive authenticity and at the same time, it literally breathes artistry. The screenplay is perfect, as well as the direction and the cast. (26/10/2003)

I think anyone who has seen Traffic and Gladiator has no doubts about which film should have rightly won the Oscar for Best Picture. Traffic is the most perfect film about the drug problem ever made. Soderbergh excels as a director and cinematographer, and among the actors, Micheal Douglas, who was more deserving of an Oscar than Benicio del Toro. (21/07/2002)

No matter how much my impression is worth four stars, I wasn't that impressed with this Steven Soderbergh film. It contains several interesting scenes, and a range of interesting characters, and speaks about an extremely interesting topic. However, I was bothered by the deliberately shaky digital camera, the use of filters in some cases, and a few motifs in the screenplay also seemed off. Most of all, the scene where a high-ranking government official - practically at the level of a minister in the American hierarchy, closely involved with the activities of secret services - frantically searches for his daughter in drug dens bothered me. If this were to happen in real life, it would discreetly be resolved with the help of relevant officials and "specialists." The scenes in Mexico about the connection between the drug cartel and the highest positions of power in the country are powerful. Overall impression: 75%. In any case, the film has a very decent ensemble cast. (14/06/2006)

Steven Soderbergh's best work, I can say that without much hesitation. Side Effects is also very well done, almost excellent, but Traffic offers something a bit extra. It goes hand in hand with Crash, with many storylines that come together at the end and deliver a mega-depressing conclusion. I liked Crash, but some of the side plots didn’t engage me as much as others. Here, however, all the storylines have a solid foundation, spiced up with excellent performances. Each narrative thread captivated me. They all revolve around drugs, which is probably obvious from the title. The camera filters added extra polish to the film (I liked the contrast; the sharp blue filter with Douglas probably signified that he, as the judge, is enforcing the law, while the almost yellowish mist in the moments with Del Toro in Mexico indicated that the law doesn’t really apply there), which simply improved the overall experience of the film. It’s hard to say who performed the best. Benicio, as always, is grandiose; he has a god-given acting talent and is able to fully utilize it, resulting in a performance worth watching. Don’t expect many shootouts; this film is all about perfect dialogues and, of course, a superbly crafted tense atmosphere. The ending is a bit open, but it didn’t bother me (at least it evokes various possible outcomes for all the characters). I give it 86%. (05/08/2018)

Steven Soderbergh borrowed the attractive theme of drug trafficking and wrapped it in a narrative robe that characterizes independent American cinematography of recent years. However, its multi-stream drama is far from brilliant, e.g., 21 Grams or Memento, but it is a rather cautious and predictable specialization of the content, similar to the documentary camera and the game with colors, which in this case does not seem particularly successful to me. What I find successful are the acting performances – Benicio Del Toro, in particular, with his demonic cuckoo of a reformed sinner, once again convinces me 100%, and I also liked Michael Douglas, who brilliantly played the sobering of a typically American self-confident politician. I see the most valuable thing in Soderbergh's film in the story and its point. Looking at the "war" on drugs, which is full of hopelessness and disillusionment, and, ultimately, small victories. It's not joyous storytelling about heroes who spectacularly destroy drug lords. Traffic shows that such a hero would first have to destroy his own children. Although I'm not particularly enthralled by the filmmaking qualities, there are still bright spots for which the film is worth it. (10/07/2005)