StevinTasker

The cavernous corridors of a secret CIA facility provide the claustrophobic setting for this tense, nervy thriller. I was gripped from the first ten minutes when the hero carries out some wet work, show's us his moral side and whose actions explain the function of these numbers stations. Cusack has massive appeal as a cerebral hero and he's no slouch in the action stakes either. When his moral code interferes with an assignment, he's given the task of watching over Katherine (Malin Ackerman), a cryptanalyst working at a lonely station nestled in the English countryside. The stars display strong screen chemistry, they're both effortlessly charming and I found them easily convincing. Arriving for their shift, they find the station attacked and the code compromised; the tension shifts up a gear as the two defend themselves and figure out what's going on. The screenplay, which is tidy and uncomplicated, draws to a satisfying conclusion but the ending is a tiny bit long. It's clear that this didn't have blockbuster financing but as a mainstream feature from a fledgling but talented director it compares favourably to many major studio offerings that don't show nearly as much class. Be warned though, this isn't a meat head's action picture with car chases and explosions all over the place.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It reminded me of "day of the triffids" not the remake, I hasten to add! It's a simple survival story with fairly recognisable characters and it plays out by the numbers towards a satisfying conclusion. I didn't watch it for clever dialogue or plot plausibility and I do have a chuckle at those reviewers who seem to have mistaken the movie for something deep and meaningful; I can only assume they didn't watch the trailer beforehand! The effects are effectively realised and the stark, silent, Moscow streets are a welcome change in terms of setting. Some of the sets, like the crashed plane in the shopping mall for instance, are a real visual treat. For me this is a totally acceptable addition to the genre.

I record it and usually intend to watch it in fast forward but something about it just pulls me in. I particularly like the chemistry between the two leads. The bloke playing Scott doesn't give a monkeys and whoever writes his dialogue has created something of a likable character. Believable no but likable yea. The English guy is a bit stiff but that's the way he's written. I'm glad to see that Sky has spent a bit of money and I hope they make more. It's not Downton Abbey but there's something quintessentially English about the way the thing is put together. I like the idea that beyond the hot air of the back room intelligence team (which they seem to set up at a moments notice in a foreign country in a shed) its just about two blokes running around with guns. They wont save the world, they don't set out to, but they will save the hostages - well, the good ones.