'The International' (R)(out of four)

Giant financial institutions are among the more unpopular companies these days, so a big, faceless mega-bank makes for an ideal villain in one of the most exciting action-thrillers since the last "Bourne" film with "The International."

Clive Owen stars as Interpol Agent Louis Salinger, who is working on a case to bring down a European-based bank known as IBBC (Inspired by BCCI, the Bank of Credit and Commercial International that collapsed in 1991 after authorities revealed the bank was involved in everything from money laundering to weapons trafficking and terrorism).

Salinger is having trouble convincing his superiors that these bankers are resorting to murder to get their way, even after one of his colleagues dies suspiciously in front of the Berlin train station following a meeting. He does have a few people who believe him, including New York Assistant D.A. Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts).

They travel across Europe, trying to build a case against the bank which is busy finalizing a deal to sell Chinese Silkworm missiles to unfriendly parties in the Middle East. The head banker (Danish actor Ulrich Thomasen) is a handsome man with a nice family he spends time with, but unfortunately he seems to lack a conscience. He's surrounded by great characters, including coolly efficient lawyers who can get police reports re-written to cover their tracks.

There's also a former East German Stasi agent-turned-adviser (German actor Armin Mueller-Stahl). He dispatches a hit man to Italy to take care of a politician who is causing them problems.

The result is a thrilling assassination sequence in the heart of Milan that's skillfully assembled by German director Tom Tykwer. The filmmaker he knows how to keep action flowing with his low-budget 1998 film, "Run Lola Run," and really amps it up with "The International."

When the story shifts to Manhattan, things shift into an even higher gear. Salinger and a team of New York detectives trail the hit man to the Guggenheim Museum, where a stunningly thrilling shoot-out ensues (for those wondering how the filmmakers got permission from authorities to shoot up the famous museum -- they didn't. The interior was re-created in Berlin). It's a great scene, enhanced even more by Irish actor Brian O'Byrne as the coolly efficient assassin (think "Three Days of the Condor" and Max Von Sydow for a comparison to a similar business-like killer).

Tykwer is clearly at the top of his game with "The International," a taut, suspenseful and intelligent action film. The director has taken full photographic advantage of unique architecture in cities ranging from Berlin and Milan, to New York and Istanbul, which in particular looks spectacular.

"The International" is a feast for the eyes and features an intelligent script by up-and-coming screenwriter Eric Warren Singer. The film also features a top-notch supporting cast, including Jack McGee ("Rescue Me") as a New York detective and Luca Barbareschi as the Italian politician.

Watts gives a good performance, but her character seems secondary to that of Owen's -- and she all but disappears toward the end of the movie. As for Owen, this film should elevate him to full, leading man status, something that's been due him a long time.