Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- paranoid
- morally ambiguous
- political thriller night
- action movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film brisk and compelling, especially praising Don Cheadle's performance and its insider view of terrorist networks, while faulting its clichés and unfocused narrative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Samir Horn operates inside a radical network while being pursued by American intelligence, making allegiance the film's central tension.
Horn's access to the group's hierarchy, recruitment, and operational structure provides detailed insider perspective.
The plot centers on terrorism, intelligence failures, overseas prisons, and coordinated attacks in a deliberately reality-adjacent register.
The FBI and CIA pursue overlapping leads while struggling to share information about Horn and the planned attacks.
Films like Traitor, and why
Syriana
Shares a tense terrorism investigation, international espionage framework, and morally complex Muslim protagonist.
Body of Lies
Shares a grounded counterterrorism thriller structure, intelligence-agency intrigue, and politically charged realism.
The Kingdom
Shares an undercover identity, terrorist networks, and a fast-moving international crime-thriller atmosphere.
Movie Details
- Director
- Jeffrey Nachmanoff
- Release Date
- 2008-08-23
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (748)
Cast
- Don Cheadle
- Guy Pearce
- Neal McDonough
- Saïd Taghmaoui
- Jeff Daniels
- Alyy Khan
- Raad Rawi
- Hassam Ghancy
- Mozhan Navabi
- Adeel Akhtar
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Traitor about?
- A devout American operative infiltrates a terrorist network while rival intelligence agencies race to determine whether he is traitor, informant, or imminent threat.
- What is Traitor like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Traitor as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Traitor violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Traitor as moderate.
- What did critics think of Traitor?
- Critics generally found the film brisk and compelling, especially praising Don Cheadle's performance and its insider view of terrorist networks, while faulting its clichés and unfocused narrative.
- Which films are like Traitor?
- Films with a similar feel include Syriana, Body of Lies, and The Kingdom.
- How long is Traitor?
- Traitor runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch Traitor?
- In United States, Traitor streams on Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
