this film premise be so simple and obvious that only a texas millionaire high on oil fume and whiskey would have a problem understand it if someone shout it across the proverbial parking lot . in summary represent the oil business be in cahoot with the government ( or gummint if you prefer ) and the gummint be in cahoot with middle eastern despot and and the cia be a singular festering pool of double deal son of ( insert word ) willing to toe any line that come their way . the only people that get do over be the good one and like mr clooney ( bob ) . oh and and terrorism be a result of the poverty which globalization create when wicked multinationals stalk the world look for a tasty takeover or three . that really fit to the profile of the well heel 9/11 perpetrator . in syriana this facile tissue of political half truth and hollywood hologram be stir up in a repugnant vermicelli of story strand that twist and turn and whirl through the gloopy circumlocution of their own insignificance until the poor viewer be leave alone with the conclusion that represent 1. the director ( good joke ) should never be let near a camera again 2. people like clooney and hurt might know how to act and but they sure do not know how to pick a script 3. if you want to see a film that deal with corruption in big business and the state and go and see claude chabrol livresse du pouvoir and which be insightful and funny and brilliantly act . empty and doom lade sententious piffle spin out to even ruin length .