We're in a highly prolific period for politically charged movies. There was the arms trade drama Lord of War, the romantic UN thriller The Constant Gardener and there's the upcoming McCarthyism biopic Good Night and Good Luck.

One of the most anticipated political hot potatoes is Syriana. Coming from the Oscar winning writer of Traffic and concerning itself with the topical theme of the oil trade between the US and the Middle East, this could very well be one of the most important films of the year.

Similar to Traffic, Syriana follows a number of intertwining stories. First there's Bob (George Clooney), a CIA operative who begins to discover the truth behind what he has been working for.

Then there's Bryan (Matt Damon) an energy analyst who suffers a horrific family tragedy and strikes up an unlikely understanding with an idealistic Gulf prince. Then there's Bennett (Jeffrey Wright), a lawyer who is given the unenviable task of dealing with a potentially corrupt merger between two oil companies.

Finally there is Wasim (Mazhar Munir), a Pakistani teenager who after unfairly losing his job becomes intrigued by the words of a charming preacher.

Syriana is not an easy film to follow. That's not necessarily a complaint, in fact it's refreshing not to have all of the details explained in a patronising fashion, but as a warning, if you like to leave your brain on standby at the movies it's best to leave this well alone.

There is so much packed into the movie that it demands a second viewing. I believe that many of the more personal, human aspects will become all the more powerful on repeat viewings.

The film's directorial fashion is also similar to Traffic. Considering that it is directed by its author and produced by its director, Steven Soderbergh, that's not a great surprise. But this comparison leaves Syriana wanting as much of Soderbergh's style is not apparent here. Gaghan does however have a skillful management of each of the various stories and their links are not tenuous as they often are in ensemble films.

The film is highly damning of the suspected links between terrorism, governments and the oil business and although it claims to be set in the past, it's very much tied to the present. It has been dismissed by some as anti-American, a term usually dished out to movies that dare to break the status quo and challenge the conservatism of much of Hollywood. Its searing conclusion will likely fuel this as it paints a depressing image of international relations and political corruption.

The acting is uniformly good but as its being painted as an Oscar contender there are no single performances that scream out. The character who commands the most attention is the idealistic prince, played by Alexander Siddig. His character arc is incredibly powerful and ultimately poignant.

If anyone from the film should be singled out though it should be writer-director Stephen Gaghan for bringing such a challenging and thought-provoking thriller to the screen. On first viewing, all of the film's many intricacies may not have been crystal clear, but when a film is clever enough for you to want to see it all over again then you know you're watching something special.

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