“Snowden” didn’t receive the attention it deserved at the box office during its debut with “Sully” outperforming in projections, and “Bridget Jones’s Baby” and “Blair Witch” fighting for a top-spot at the box office. Its less than stellar reviews when it hit theatres also contributed to its disappointing $8 million debut, according to the Internet Movie Database. While its release was a little disheartening, the film itself is worth viewing in theatres.

When “Snowden” had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, it seemed like it was destined to become an Oscar contender and a box office success. But unfortunately, its distributing company Open Road Films released the movie during a weekend of tough competition.

Media around the globe wants the public to decide whether Edward Snowden, former National Security Agency contractor, is a hero or a traitor. Director Oliver Stone’s “Snowden” succeeds at proving he is neither. His film humanizes this controversial figure because of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s carefully articulated performance and the chemistry he shares with co-star Shailene Woodley. The script successfully grounds the character of Snowden and which downplays his provocativeness.

Two books are used for basis of the film: “The Snowden Files” by Luke Harding and “Time of the Octopus” by Anatoly Kucherena. The narrative is focused around the beginning of Snowden’s career in 2004 to his leaking of classified information from the NSA in 2013 which sparked debates about the government’s secret global surveillance programs.

This is no easy story to tell, and it only seems right that Oliver Stone, two-time recipient of the Academy Award for Best Director, would be the one to tell it. It has been years since Stone put out anything groundbreaking or substantial, and while this isn’t exactly a return to form for him, it is a giant leap in the right direction. The juxtaposition of visually contrasting film and camera formatting is hard to get comfortable withat first.

Gordon-Levitt is one of the most hard-working and underrated actors of today. He captures all of Snowden’s specific mannerisms right down to his unmistakable low tone of voice. This is another aspect of the film that might be hard for some to settle with, but Gordon-Levitt’s dedication pays off. His scenes with girlfriend, Lindsay Mills, played by Woodley, are of particular craftsmanship. A whole separate movie could be made about the couple’s journey throughout this time. Her well-rounded character provides balance in places where the film most needs it. This is a task that Woodley is more than up for, and she deserves credit for that.

One disappointing realization after the film ends is how Snowden’s character is never painted as provocatively genius as he really is. The story succeeds when described exactly how Snowden got a hold of the classified information and how the United States was collecting it. Any thrill that the movie loses is by lowering the main character’s impactfulness.

The film intelligently convinces its viewers that Snowden did what he felt like he had to do for his country, but what he did not out of spite or anger and general concern for the public. Snowden is a conversation-starter and achievement that should not be overlooked as it reveals the shockingly boundless scope of surveillance that was being conducted in secrecy.