Keeps you guessing till the end
Stephen Soderbergh’s spy thriller ‘Black Bag’ plays it vocal. It is a taut, smart film with a lot of details and little clues pieced together to form a grand scheme. It’s nothing new as far as the spy fiction genre is concerned, but it’s definitely nicely made, scores high on acting and caters to specialised tastes.
Who can you trust in a world of spies? It’s a question that you won’t find an answer to because spies are duty-bound to lie. We are introduced to a married couple — both successful in their chosen trade and working for the same agency. They are highly skilled, well trained and are used to working as a team. Their familiarity with each other also makes them vulnerable to attack.
When intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse (Cate Blanchett) is suspected of betraying the nation, her husband George (Michael Fassbender), also a legendary spy, faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his wife, or his country. To top it, he is the one inspecting the five suspects. Within a week, George will have to find the source of the security leak in his intelligence organisation or tens of thousands of people will die.
Writer David Koepp uses a good mix of suspense and intrigue with unique personalities: perfection-driven agents seemingly involved in a conspiracy that threatens to ruin their careers.
Freddie (Tom Burke) is having an affair with Clarissa (Marisa Abela), while Zoe (Naomie Harris), the agency shrink, has been hooking up with James (Rege-Jean Page). They are pivotal players in the party that George cooks up.
A character-driven tale, with several of them involved, this story follows the ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’ construct with a little difference. Project Severus is the key and we have to figure out just how involved each character is. It’s deep and convoluted.
It’s a movie about battling personalities instead of weapons, more of mental warfare than physical. So, James Bond it is not, even though Pierce Brosnan plays a pivotal role. There’s a lot of conversation happening here and it wouldn’t give you a payoff if you are not paying attention to each and every word that is uttered.
The acting and characters do most of the heavy-lifting rather than the special effects or any non-existent high wire action. Soderbergh and Koepp have given their characters a few quirks that lend an edge to the byplay. Fassbender has a captivating presence and Blanchett delivers her role with finesse.
The result is a svelte vintage yarn which could very well represent current anxieties. Soderbergh and Koepp’s third collaboration has volatility and intrigue enough to keep you guessing till the final denouement.
The movie has stunning cinematography with an excellent use of filters and perfect frames to enchant. This is a small-scale intimate spy thriller without action scenes and mostly set in confined locations.
It is fairly cerebral, clever and enjoyable and the two leads, Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, stir up their own share of interest. Soderbergh’s style and polish make it a cool watch.
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