I say I liked it because I believe the world is infinitely complex, and the movie was complex. I think it’s an accurate reflection of the state of things in the Middle East. But I won’t disagree with you that a plot just about Clooney’s character could have carried an entire film.

It was like three or four movies at once.

I think Syriana could have been a great movie if it had primarily followed just Clooney’s or Damon’s character, with all related characters clearly exposited early on and the various subplots pared down to just those handful that were obviously connected to the main story arc (whatever it was). I don’t mind a movie that makes me think about the world we live in, but I take exception to a movie that requires ready access to Cliff’s Notes just to know what’s happening on screen.