The Insider

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.

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.

It started off slow and it is difficult to understand their accents in the opening dinner scene, but it finished off strong towards the end. Don't expect a lot of action but good narrative. Fassbender plays a good robot agent that makes Spock look really human. Typical Soderbergh movie with the pacing of an Ocean's 11 type movie but with a lot less comedy and minimal twists and turns. Blanchett and Fassbender have minimal chemistry, but maybe that was more of a lack of character development in the script. Seems like it should have been a Hulu release as releasing it in the big screen seems a waste. They wasted Pierce Brosnan as an actor for his minimal role.

LIKES: Smart Writing Great Acting Beautifully Shot Dark Humor Integrated Well A Layered Plot Realism, Or Close To It Shorter Run Time Summary: Black Bag is a smart film about the details and piecing together the little clues to figure out the grand scheme. A character-centric tale, one has to understand each of the profiles of the characters involved with Project Severus and figure out just how involved they were and the angles involved. It's a deep, convoluted tale that requires you to listen to everything, each scene holding some insight to help get you to the end and figure out who did the deed. It has an intense dialog that feels welcome in the spy world, and many superfans of the espionage genre should enjoy it to help immerse you further into the plot. I felt this was decently real, only dropping into the Hollywood theatrics occasionally to add that thrill aspect. Such tones keep it grounded and let the acting and characters do most of the heavy lifting rather than the special effects. To help give the characters some polish and diversity, especially in a building where everyone seems to be of the same cloth, Soderbergh and Koepp have granted their characters fun little elements to give them a few quirks to shake things up. A few of them have dark comedy elements to their name, an edge that gets wedged into the scenes at just the right moments to be fun and add a little more humor to the mix. Not too much; Black Bag keeps this in check to never let it consume the movie. To no surprise, it requires a lot of talent to bring such focus to life, and our cast has accomplished much in this project. Fassbender, in particular, is captivating; that elegance in his performance curtailed into the spy role well without requiring the elaborate theatrics other characters have required of him. He's got such craft in his delivery of the lines, his mannerisms a wonderful compliment to his words as he brings the full weight of the role to life. Blanchett also delivers her role with finesse and hardcore edge. I just had hoped for more time with her character's arc in searching for the answers. The scenes we do get hold of plenty of wisecracking jabs and a control of the situation, but yet there is more to her character in other key moments. Finally, the movie accomplishes all of this with stunning cinematography work to help unleash the gripping emotion that such a job holds. Excellent use of filters alongside those perfect frames of face capture so much effortlessly that they lend themselves a large amount of the acting themselves.

DISLIKES: Dense Sort of Confusing At Times Lots Of Dialog A Bit Underwhelming In Reveals Pierce Brosnan Not Well-Utilized Not Really That Suspenseful.

Summary: Black Bag is not one of these movies to get lost in for pure enjoyment, though. It's a movie that requires you to pay attention; no phones, no sleepiness, and no half-hearted efforts to watch the movie. Black Bag has a lot of information hidden in plain sight, so to speak, and to uncover everything before the reveal requires full focus on the story and performances. As engaging as it is, the patient does hold confusion with it, the beginning throwing so many pieces of information and intros that you have to keep track of. The dense material can be less exciting than other spy films, and I didn't feel the edge in this movie that any deadline or timeline was spelling out impending doom. Lacking such excitement is going to limit the audience members who will like this, and I do encourage you not to watch this if you are tired just in case you have to fight sleep with the heavy dialog you have to wade through as the movie continues. When the big reveal does come up, I can't say it was the most amazing twist I've seen, and I can't say that me solving it beforehand offered any reward. That realistic revelation sort of felt lacking of the big climactic punch, which again may limit how many people are ready to run to the theaters to see it. Finally, as mentioned above, not every character has equal use, and one of these characters, played by Pierce Brosnan, was one that felt very underutilized. So much potential in the character. Brosnan shows what he can bring to the table; he just needs more time and involvement. A shame, given his talent.

The VERDICT: I appreciate and love so much of the layered elements that Black Bag had to offer. The intelligence behind this film is engaging, the realism in particular fitting very well into the current trend of such drama thrillers on streaming platforms. Fantastic performances with well-written dialog to play with. It's a movie that engages the brain to help you find the answers and a movie that wants you to attach yourself to the characters. Soderbergh's direction is executed to a quality level on many elements, and for a fan of his work, this movie fits well into the collection. Yet, because of all the strengths, the movie is convoluted, dry, and perhaps not entertaining for a general night out or watching when one is low on energy. Black Bag's realism makes the revelation less spectacular, as well as lacking that super-suspenseful timeline these movies thrive on for a viewer like me. Throw in some character imbalances and story components that needed more time, and you get a film that loses some of the artistic sheen the trailers granted it. This feels much better in book form or would have done well as a twelve-episode season/series. Is it worth a trip to the theaters? For those who love a realistic drama and spy epic, this is the movie worth a trip for the quality, but most I believe will like this at the comfort of their own homes.

My Scores: Spy/Drama/Thriller: 7.5 Movie Overall: 7.0.