After watching Cate Blanchett have fun in Borderlands recently, I was more interested to check out her new film Black Bag. While that other movie wasn’t so hot, she was a delight, and it made me look forward to seeing her in something else – although it looked like she was going to be more reserved and less carefree in this new film. So, would she – and a few other recognizable names – make this one worth watching, or should it have gone straight into the trash?
Michael Fassbender actually leads the cast in Black Bag. While he has starred in several films, he’s most well-known for his popular role as a young Magneto in X-Men: First Class and its sequels. He brings the same commanding presence to his role here. While he does seem a lot more bookish and resembles an accountant more than anything, viewers will be more focused on his mind and how he works the problem presented in front of him. Even though his character is never really fleshed out, it’s interesting to watch anyway.
Cate Blanchett does a good job in Black Bag as well. True, it’s a much more reserved role than in Borderlands, but she seems to have grown into her acting over the years. Her performance in things like The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring seemed to showcase a talent for acting that her younger age seemed to not quite be ready for. As she’s aged, however, she seems to keep getting better.
The rest of the cast is pretty solid as well. Rene-Jean Page has suddenly started appearing in several roles, and while his performance in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves was a bit too odd to really judge, he shows he’s got some solid skills here. Naomie Harris, Tom Burke and Marisa Abela all give solid performances, and really help the viewer get into the story. Pierce Brosnan also turns up but his role seems more of an afterthought.
The story is pretty complex in Black Bag. Everyone involved works for a British spy agency, and there is a mole. There are several twists and turns in the film, and the hunt for the mole is mostly done via talking. This is a film where the script definitely relies a lot on its dialogue, and thankfully, writer David Koepp keeps that strong throughout. It’s the thinking man’s whodunit, and the strong dialogue, intrigue and interesting twists and turns help keep the viewer entertained.
If you’re looking for a spy thriller with lots of action, there is a whole Mission: Impossible series of films that will suit you better. If, however, you are a fan of characters like Sherlock Holmes, and enjoy a good whodunit with not a whole lot of action, Black Bag should be on your watchlist. There have been several of these type of films recently (see the series that began with Knives Out or Murder on the Orient Express), and so far, I’m liking this new take on the thinking man’s mystery genre. Adding in a spy mole hunt just helps add to the enjoyment.
