In 2013, probably the biggest person in the world was someone who we previously knew nothing about. This man is Edward Snowden, a former NSA and CIA worker, who made headline after headline when he released confidential information regarding the NSA and CIA. Now, it seems like everyone has a different opinion about Snowden. Some consider him a hero and vigilante, others a traitor and a national disgrace, but to paraphrase Oliver Stone, the director of “Snowden”, the film isn’t going to tell you what to feel, but at the end you’re going to have a strong opinion.

The real Edward Snowden

“Snowden” stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the titular Edward Snowden, a former NSA and CIA employee who released confidential information regarding both agencies. The information that Snowden released deals with the NSA and CIA spying on American civilians. What the government argues throughout the film and in real life, is that it is an attempt to keep us all safe from the threat of terrorism. What I personally think makes the film and the real life event so compelling is the debate it sparks. Sure, we all want safety and security, there is no doubt about it, but at what cost? Sure, we want to prevent another huge terror attack on American soil, or frankly anywhere, but does that mean we have to get closer to the “Orwellian” society depicted in “1984”? Because right now, “big brother” is watching you, and I think what is worse is that we gave them permission to do so. Do you know those big, long terms and agreements you agree to when signing up for something, but never read because it is way too long? Guess what, in those terms and agreements you’re giving away personal information that you many not want to. In the terms and agreements for the Facebook app, you are giving Facebook permission to see all of your contacts and phone numbers, use your location, go through your sms messages, go through your call logs, access your pictures, and have access to your camera and microphone. Now, I understand people arguing, "well sure they have access to my pictures, how else will I post photos?" Well, the only thing is, they aren't just given access so you can post pictures. As revealed in the film, the NSA has a contract with major technology corporations like Microsoft, Apple, Google and Facebook that allows them to see this info. What is also shown in “Snowden” is how the NSA can look through your webcam and camera, even if you’re not using your computer. As long as you leave your laptop open the NSA can peer through.

Facebook mobile app permission list

What a lot of people who are “anti-Snowden” argue is, "I did nothing wrong, so they have no reason to spy on me". What is depicted in the film is, "sure, you may have done nothing, but they are still looking". An example from the film is when they are looking through the private information of a suspected terrorist in the middle east. After looking through all of his info, they look through the information of any contacts or relatives. In the film the suspected terrorist has a cousin who lives in the States who is a dentist. So after going through all of the dentists private information, guess who they’re moving onto next? That’s right, all of the dentist’s patients, and the scary thing is that it is probably happening right as you read this.

To move away from the heated moral debate of the picture, I want to talk about the technical aspects. Out of the Oliver Stone films I’ve seen in the past, they’ve all been shot beautifully, “Platoon” being a prime example. However, the second thing I thought of while watching this film is how impressive the cinematography is. The first thing I thought of was the amazing portrayal of Snowden by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. When you put a picture of Edward Snowden and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in his normal attire and style, you wouldn’t really think there is a similarity. Not to insult Snowden, but he comes across as a big computer geek, while Gordon-Levitt has a cooler, more sophisticated look. However, Gordon-Levitt undergoes a small, but significant change in appearance that could make you swear you are looking at the real Edward Snowden. Gordon-Levitt even changes his speaking voice, so he sounds nothing like himself, but exactly like Snowden. In the past when I’ve made award show predictions so far in the future I’ve been extremely off, but I wouldn’t be surprised to at least see a “Golden Globe” nomination for Gordon-Levitt.

Joseph Gorden-Levitt and Shailene Woodley

Lastly, I think one of the most interesting things about this film is that it was released now. For a long time this film was suspected to have a release date in 2015, but has been pushed back till now. I personally feel it adds a special element watching it now in the strongly intense presidential election. While it is not exactly the same, it is interesting to compare the film to the Hillary Clinton email scandal and the DNC email leak, where emails were sent back in forth showing an attempt to diminish Bernie Sanders campaign, and to the fact that Donald Trump asked Russia to hack into Clinton’s email. Again, it is not exactly the same, but both situations deal with private information no longer being private. Overall, I felt like “Snowden” was a very interesting film and is worth a watch, regardless of the mixed reviews.