“Argo,” Ben Affleck’s  cunning historical thriller, is a film that manages to relate past events while maintaining a suspenseful atmosphere. Based on the Canadian Caper Operation during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1981, the director dramatic visuals and language to create a captivating movie.

Following his 2010 film, “The Town,” “Argo” is the second movie that Affleck has directed. Affleck takes on the protagonist role of Tony Mendez, a CIA agent who goes undercover to lead the operation to get the six American hostages out of Iran and back to the U.S. The group has to act as a movie crew scouting for exotic locations to film “Argo: Science Fantasy Adventure,” a fake movie, while avoiding riots and tip-toeing past stern faced Iranian guards.

The film gives the impression of a twisted heist movie and does a great job of  interspersing tasteful humor in thickly intense moments, often resulting in cunning but dark comedy.
The only minor complaint can be found in the foreign language scenes without subtitles, which confuses the viewer and detracts from the plot. Nevertheless, “Argo” from Warner Brothers Pictures has proven to be one of the year’s shining films, with its nail-biting plot and electrifying scenes.

 Argo
2 hours 
Rated R for language and some violent images
Directed by Ben Affleck
With Ben Affleck, Taylor Schilling, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin 
Opinion: Tense, dark and thrilling, Argo provides insight to a previously unknown historical event, with a strong cast and vivid attention to detail. 

Here is the official trailer from Warner Brothers:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ESR382L7Wo]