--- title: "Syriana: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/syriana/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/syriana" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Syriana (2005): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 11 reviews: 8 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics come down in favour, and none against. The praise clusters on ambition: Gaghan takes several apparently unconnected stories and knits them into a single picture of the global oil trade, and the reviews admire the richness of its detail and the plainness of its settings. The ensemble is widely liked, with George Clooney’s quiet turn as Bob Barnes singled out more than once, and a few critics note that the film gathers real momentum once the strands begin to converge. Almost every review, warm or cool, calls the film confusing. The favourable ones treat that as the design: a thriller meant to be as hard to follow as the business it describes. The cooler ones, Slant Magazine and The Guardian among them, find it overstuffed and hard to care about, and settle on a mixed verdict. The spread is narrow; the disagreement is only over whether the difficulty is earned. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 3.5/4. 22 November 2005. Ebert regarded the film as an ambitious, complicated political thriller. He singled out its tangled storytelling as a challenge to follow. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/syriana-2005) ## Empire — Colin Kennedy Rating 4/5. 24 February 2006. Kennedy finds the film demanding and sometimes confusing, but ultimately absorbing and required viewing. He praises its tightening, converging storylines and irresistible momentum in the final act. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/syriana-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 23 November 2005. Turan calls the film fearless, ambitious and entertaining, though deliberately confusing. He praises how its obfuscating storytelling draws viewers into the world of oil politics and conspiracy. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-nov-23-et-syriana23-story.html) ## Radio Times — Adam Smith Rating 4/5. The review presents the film as an ambitious, intricate political thriller, though its deliberate complexity may frustrate some viewers. It praises how Gaghan weaves seemingly disconnected stories into a portrait of corruption in the global oil industry. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8q8upv/syriana/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 4/5. 3 March 2006. The review calls Syriana a demanding, exhilarating thriller and one of the year's finest films. It praises the ensemble performances and the film's quiet, emotionally affecting moments. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/syriana-review/) ## Time Out — Trevor Johnston Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 27 February 2006. The review presents the film as a startlingly ambitious geopolitical fresco. It highlights Gaghan’s shift from the war on drugs in Traffic to geopolitics. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/syriana-1) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2005. McCarthy finds the film weighty, intriguing, and politically substantive, though sometimes confusing. He praises its immense richness of detail and credible, naturalistic settings. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2005/film/awards/syriana-2-1200520184/) ## Screen Daily — John Hazelton Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2005. The accessible page identifies this as a review, but its critical verdict is behind the paywall. The review’s specific praise or complaint is not visible in the supplied text. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/syriana/4025246.article) ## Slant Magazine — Jeremiah Kipp Rating 2/4. 22 November 2005. Kipp finds the film overstuffed and confusing despite its important subject matter and ambition. He praises the ensemble performances, particularly George Clooney’s quietly assured portrayal of Bob Barnes. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/syriana/) ## The Guardian — Rob Mackie Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 July 2006. The review presents the film as a dense, difficult-to-follow thriller, with a mixed overall verdict. It praises the realism of the torture scene involving George Clooney. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/jul/14/dvdreviews.drama1) ## Eye for Film — Chris Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 March 2006. The critic finds it a breathtaking, harrowing thriller that raises difficult questions without taking sides. They praise its meticulous research and its ability to connect many perspectives on the global oil trade. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/syriana-film-review-by-chris) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/syriana.md