Going into “Argo” with no clue as to what the next two hours will entail is precisely how the film should be experienced, so I’ll do my best to be vague while still explaining why I enjoyed it.

“Argo” is about a CIA specialist named Antonio Mendez (played by Ben Affleck, who is also the film’s director) who is tasked with rescuing six Americans who were working in the US Embassy in Tehran when it was attacked by Iranian revolutionaries. They escaped and hid in the Canadian ambassador’s house, and wait for months for extraction.

In case the details of the real event have evaded you (as they evaded me), that’s where my detailing the plot will end. All of the broad strokes are available freely on the web if you’re so inclined, but I strongly recommend going in as blind as possible.

Affleck is excellent as Tony Mendez, though he doesn’t exactly match the image of the man he’s portraying. He portrays Mendez’s professionalism, but also a sense of humor when things start to go in that direction.

The always incredible Bryan Cranston has a decently sized role as Tony’s boss, but he goes away for large portions of the film at a time and isn’t as much of a show stealer as he usually is. Other big names include John Goodman and Alan Arkin, who play two characters with excellent chemistry when they’re on screen together, and are the source of the film’s most quotable line.

The dialogue, while nice and snappy, isn’t what carries the film. Affleck’s direction and cinematography take what could have easily been boring or too distracting and makes it feel tight and deliberate. Even when the situations get dire, there is a measured feel to every shot; even the camera’s shaking feels perfectly planned. The film’s presentation is the string that ties all of it together, even between all of the tonal shifts.

The soundtrack is excellent, featuring some notable classic rock tunes as well as understated original pieces during the more intense moments.

It feels weird to say I’m almost finished with this review. It’s the shortest review I’ve ever written, but I feel like it would spoil the fun to talk about “Argo” any more than I have, which isn’t much at all. If none of the above convinced you to watch the movie, I could understand, but I hope that my last attempt at a recommendation will suffice. Watch “Argo.”