By Masudur Rahman

Senior Reporter

REVIEW

“Traitor” is a globe-trotting thriller starring Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda”) as Samir Horn, an ex-U.S. Army man who began dealing arms to Islamic terrorists.

Horn gets captured in an arms sales run and, when members of a terrorist organization bust him out of prison, he joins their ranks. Unbeknownst to the terrorists, Horn is actually undercover, joining the group to get close to the top dogs and bring them down from the inside.

However, because only one FBI agent knows his secret, the FBI, represented by agent Roy Clayton (played by Guy Pearce, “Memento”), chases him from country to country, as he plans and executes several terrorist attacks, including a plan to blow up 50 buses on U.S. soil on Thanksgiving Day.

The movie, scripted and directed by first-time director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, is based on a story by Steve Martin (yes, the Steve Martin). And if you thought “The Dark Knight” asked tough questions about what makes a hero, you’re in for a treat.

Unfortunately, what “Traitor” gains from an engaging plot is offset by a lack of character development. Watching the movie, you get a hint of the characters’ emotional turmoil, but the director doesn’t let us inside their heads as much as one would have liked.

Parts of the movie are reminiscent of  “The Departed” and, in its epic proportions, it is also like “The Bourne Identity” trilogy.