The Insider

It's no surprise that IMDB ratings are so different and it seems nobody can agree if the film was good or bad. It seems we cannot agree on anything anymore. I fear the people giving all these 1 or 3's don't even watch the movies. It's like the people who go and rate a series after 1 episode. I don't fully blame them as I do IMDB because they allow it. I used to really take IMDB user reviews to heart when I was choosing to watch a film, but I can no longer. Maybe it's people with short attention spans or because it's not a Marvel Comics film.

Black Bag is directed by the great Steven soderbergh and has a phenomenal cast. It's a spy film and the story isn't the most original one but it was a good movie. Solid plot and keeps your attention throughout the film. I just don't see how someone could rate it so poorly. It seems we cannot even agree that a good movie is good lol. You used to search for a film like "blow" for instance snd the vast majority were 8-10 because I think normal people will agree it's a great film. Now if a movie is great (which is not often) we still have people giving it a 1 rating. I either totally lost my taste in films or people are not watching movies and shows they are rating. IMDB has lost its purpose because I'm thinking the tic tok generation and their lack of ability to watch anything past 45 seconds .black bag isn't a great movie by any means but it's also not bad ,especially by today's standards.

There's just about enough intrigue in David Koepp's efficient script to hold the attention in trying to decipher what is going on in Steven Soderbergh's underwhelming spy thriller which is more like a theatrical play than a cinematic experience.

All of the assembled cast do a sufficient job in delivering a very talky script. I especially liked Michael Fassbender's concise and measured performance as the spy ordered to get to the bottom of a leaked top secret software program that could jeopardise national security where his wife, Cate Blanchett, is one of the suspects.

For me Soderbergh never quite scratches my itch when he attempts to do 'cool' like he did with the Ocean trilogy. There's a cold aloofness that prevents me as a viewer to get completely wrapped up in the story he is trying to tell. Also with Black Bag I wasn't keen on the cinematography which looked like a creative decision to make most light sources seem diffused, presumably to make this look like an old fashioned espionage thriller from the 1960's. Fassbenders character certainly has shades of Harry Palmer to him, especially wearing those trademark black glasses.

Despite it being talky and smart it's not that taut and I would like to have seen a bit more action and a few surprise twists for there to be a better payoff for all the concentration the viewer has to endure to get to a rather mediocre finale.

And now...a film for adults.

Amidst the sequels, Super Hero Flicks, gratuitous violence and horror films, an original I. P. film with A-List stars, an interesting script and a good director has, somehow, snuck it's way into our local Mega-plex.

And...BLACK BAG is well worth your time.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh (ERIN BROCKOVICH), BLACK BAG is based on an original script by David Koepp (the first Tom Cruise MISSION IMPOSSIBLE film) and tells the tale of a British Spy (Michael Fassbender) who must ferret out a traitor in their midst amongst 5 potential candidates - one of which is his wife (Cate Blanchett).

And not a shootout in site!

This might seem like a set-up similar to the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie shoot-em-up MR. & MRS. SMITH from 2005, but instead of resorting to violence the spies in this thriller do what they do best - they use their spy abilities to outthink/outwit and outplay their opponents.

What a refreshing change.

Soderbergh directs this whoddunit with professional ease, letting the pace of the scenes set the pace of this film - therefore, the movie moves along at a deliberate pace that makes the 1 hour and 33 minute film feel a little bit longer.

But, that's not (necessarily) a bad thing.

That is because this film has 2x Oscar Nominee Fassbender and 2x Oscar Winner Blanchett as it's 2 leads - and one could watch these 2 play spy games against each other all day. The only down side is that, by plotline necessity, these 2 spend most of their time away from each other, so when they are together, the screen crackles with tension/excitement. It would have been fun to have these 2 confront each other mid-way through the film (a la the DeNiro/Pacino Diner Scene in HEAT), but Soderbergh is a smarter director than that and, wisely, avoids the temptation to do this to keep the rhythm of the mystery story going.

Fassbender and Blanchett are joined by Tom Burke (MANK), Marisa Abela (BARBIE), Rege-Jean Page (BRIDGERTON) and Naomi Harris (MOONLIGHT) as the other suspects/allies and since these 4 need to go toe-to-toe with Fassbender and/or Blanchett, their performances are as good as I've seen from any of them thus far.

Oh, and did I mention Pierce Brosnan (you know, REMINGTON STEELE and a film icon named JAMES BOND) as the boss of all of them. This is an actor who has become more and more interesting the older he gets and this role gives him a chance to chew the scenery and be VERY interesting with the best of them. If the new producers of the next James Bond series doesn't consider making Brosnan the new "M", then they have missed an ideal opportunity.

Screenwriter Koepp has constructed an interesting - and grounded - whoddunit/thriller that gives all of the actors some choice scenes/speeches that are delivered under the careful, trusted vision of Soderbergh which equates to a very satisfying time in the movie theater.

Letter Grade: A- (it does move at a rather languid pace)

8 stars (out of 10) and you can take yhis to the Bank(ofMarquis)

Full disclosure: when I first saw the trailer for Black Bag, I wasn't impressed. In fact, I was even less impressed when I assumed it was just another run-of-the-mill spy thriller about agents hell-bent on destabilising Moscow.

Boyyyyy, was I wrong.

This film is an absolute class act - an intelligent, gripping espionage drama that had me hooked from start to finish. Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender deliver powerhouse performances, balancing raw intensity with the kind of nuance that elevates the film beyond your standard spy fare. Their chemistry is electric, and every moment between them crackles with tension.

The supporting cast is just as strong, with Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan adding layers of intrigue and depth. The dialogue is razor-sharp, and the script is packed with twists and turns that never feel forced - just expertly crafted storytelling at its finest.

Steven Soderbergh is in his element here, blending sleek cinematography with a tight, sophisticated narrative. It's stylish, smart, and effortlessly cool. If you think you know what to expect from Black Bag, think again. This is espionage cinema at its absolute best.

This is not your average spy thriller: it's mainly talk, tons of it, between a small group of British intelligence employees who all seem to live their personal and work lives in each others pockets and beds. To attempt to add gravitas to the production, the colour has been desaturated and the light dialled down to dull and grim, so viewers know it's a serious drama, not James Bond.

There are a few effective action set pieces to keep viewers awake ( not my wife, unfortunately, she slept through most of it ) but not really enough, I'm guessing, to satisfy the action fans.

For film fans who try to see everything that opens in cinemas, only.