A straightforward crime flick from Turkey concerning typical genre ingredients of kidnapping, crime bosses, shoot-outs, and a macho-man hero who comes through despite the danger surrounding him. THE TRAITORS is populated by cool, slick-looking actors looking good in suits running around and looking tough, including Yilmaz Guney playing the lead. The plot is nothing new but manages to pack in the requisite genre elements into a passable bundle. Technically, the film is well-made and benefits from a lyrical score which helps to add to the atmosphere.
What this film lacks most is action of any variety - a shame, as action in Turkish films is always going to be worth watching. For the first hour not much happens in the way of shootings or fights, but then that changes with a brutal punch-up between one just man and a gang of thugs (ending in a bloody, horrid fashion) and the ten-minute long finale, which is worth waiting for. It sees the hero of the film, a normal everyday guy employed as a chauffeur, rebelling against his gang after they rape their kidnap victim - a girl who he has become rather fond of (incidentally, the actress playing the kidnap victim has to be one of the most beautiful I've seen!). What follows is a major shoot-out in the woods, packed with nasty splashes of blood as people get shot in the eyes, head, etc. It's a wonderful way to end a movie, but one wishes that the first hour had contained a little more incident and not so much uneventful character building.
What this film lacks most is action of any variety - a shame, as action in Turkish films is always going to be worth watching. For the first hour not much happens in the way of shootings or fights, but then that changes with a brutal punch-up between one just man and a gang of thugs (ending in a bloody, horrid fashion) and the ten-minute long finale, which is worth waiting for. It sees the hero of the film, a normal everyday guy employed as a chauffeur, rebelling against his gang after they rape their kidnap victim - a girl who he has become rather fond of (incidentally, the actress playing the kidnap victim has to be one of the most beautiful I've seen!). What follows is a major shoot-out in the woods, packed with nasty splashes of blood as people get shot in the eyes, head, etc. It's a wonderful way to end a movie, but one wishes that the first hour had contained a little more incident and not so much uneventful character building.
