Bring Down a Bank? Put Down the Weapons

In the upcoming movie thriller The International, Clive Owen stars as an Interpol agent battling an evil international bank that has financed wars, terrorism -- and been accused of "conspiracy and murder."

Owen uses "weapons, intelligence, logistical support" supplied to him by Interpol, where most of the spooks are shaking in their boots over the threat from the evil institution, the International Bank of Business and Credit.

Halfway through the trailer, you see why: They've bought missiles from China! ("They control everything," says one of Owen's superiors.) The movie is clearly meant to evoke the Bank of Commerce and Credit International (down to its similar set of initials), which in the mid-1990s was brought up on charges of bribery, money laundering, support of terrorism, arms trafficking, etc.

"There has to be some way to bring down this bank," says an agitated, angsty Owen, as the agents helping him mysteriously go away. "Anyone that's ever been in a position to move against this bank has either ended up dead, or disappeared," Owen whispers, ominously.

When things start to get really tough for Owen, Interpol cuts its ties to him: A superior tells him, "You're going to have to go outside the system of justice."

Forget the fact that by the time the film comes out, in February, most potential moviegoers will be better versed in banking than they'd ever expected to be. But the protagonist's mission, to "bring down this bank," with "weapons and intelligence" is just plain silly, when there are easier means than that.

We'd like to suggest the writers go back for a rewrite: Everyone now knows that all it takes to bring down a bank is a portfolio of mortgage-backed securities.

by Laura Rich

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