Black Bag

It was one of those movies that's first hard to get into, but once you hit halfway you're invested. It's not that this movie was bad at all, it just didn't hit for me. It felt like a murder mystery, without the murder. It had fun twists and turns and dark at times. Them sitting around the table was the most intense parts, that goes to show you the amount of action in this movie. Just a warning if you're looking for any at all, this has none. Also most of this movie could have been figured out with a conversation between wife and husband, thay apparently trust each other so much. But whatever. Haha

Watched at AMC on 3-13-2025.

I find myself increasingly weary of the spy film genre, especially those that center around a romantic couple. It has become a trope so familiar, so predictable, that the very notion of it now feels like an exercise in the mundane. Each iteration feels almost mechanically constructed, as if there is an unspoken formula at play, one that prioritizes style over substance, a kind of cinematic sleight of hand designed to keep the audience distracted from the lack of originality beneath the surface. In this particular instance, however, the dialogue attempts to elevate itself above the usual banter of its kind, but only to the point of indulging in an almost ostentatious, borderline pretentious, air of intellectualism. There's a certain artifice to it all-an effort to sound clever, to sound profound, that ultimately rings hollow. The conversations between the characters, rather than offering any real emotional depth or compelling insight, instead feel like performative displays of wit, which do little more than alienate rather than engage. This was a film that seemed more concerned with showcasing its own perceived sophistication than with crafting any meaningful connection with its audience. And yet, despite all its verbal flourishes, it never once managed to grasp my attention in any truly significant way. The pacing felt sluggish, the stakes hardly compelling, and the emotional core-if one could even call it that-was so underdeveloped it barely registered. In the end, it was less a work of cinema and more an exercise in style over substance, one that never captured my imagination or curiosity.

My Review- Black Bag My Rating 6/10 In Cinemas now

Mmm, I found this movie directed by Steven Soderbergh really dull and lifeless.

He's not a favourite director of mine although I loved Erin Brockovich but some oh his other offerings left me underwhelmed.

Black Bag begins with intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse being suspected of betraying the nation and her husband George also a legendary agent .

The stakes get high when the security around a software program named Severus is threatened by falling into foreign hands.

George played by Michael Fassbender faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his marriage, or his country.

Kathryn Woodhouse is played by Cate Blanchett in what I refer to as one of her " look at me I'm acting! " roles most recent being the complex wife Catherine Ravenscroft a celebrity journalist in the series Disclaimer which I also rated a 6/10.

Black Bag is a slick looking production with an estimated budget of USD 60,000,000 .

For me the script by David Koepp didn't flow and got very convoluted at times with no light or shade to make the characters believable.

Even some of the supporting characters seemed cut outs from previous spy dramas .

It even features two alumni from the official James Bond feature film series. They are Eve Moneypenny actress Naomie Harris and former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan.

The scene in the restaurant with Pierce Brosnan's character Arthur Stieglitz consuming what appears to be a live fish in an illegal Japanese custom called ikizukuri really turned me off my dinner .

I really even couldn't say I recall any movie score in Black Bag but apparently it was composed by Thomas Newman.

I'm sure some people will probably enjoy Black Bag but it went over my head and straight out of my memory.

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.

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.