What to Watch This Weekend – Black Bag

Black Bag is a story about suspicious spies. There is a traitor within the British Secret Intelligence Service. An operative has stolen Severus—a mysterious weapon that could cause chaos in the wrong hands. Leading the investigation to learn the mole’s identity is George (Michael Fassbender). To assist, George’s superior has provided him with a list of potential suspects. This lead comes with its own complications as those under investigation include George’s friends and his wife Kathyrn (Cate Blanchett). As George begins to dig, he enters into a cat and mouse game where no one can be trusted.

What works in Black Bag are the playful twists within a familiar genre. Director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Traffic) once again proves adept at mixing suspense and playfulness. Many spy thrillers explore the notion that a lover or loved one might be secretly working for the opposition. Black Bag takes a refreshing approach by having its players take more direct approaches to their interrogations. This leads to some fantastically taut exchanges among the leads. While the stakes always feel high, there’s a level of humanity laced throughout that helps ground the proceedings. Audiences will consistently wonder who is playing whom. And with a breezy 94-minute runtime, Black Bag feels lean and smooth while also delivering satisfying character arcs and conclusions.

RELATED: Michael Fassbender Was Almost In STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Audiences who prefer a bit of action to accompany their clandestine activities may not enjoy Black Bag as much as others. These agents don’t get into shootouts or perform daring escapes. Their primary weapons are deduction and deception. As these spies face off, it is mostly a battle of wits and levels of loyalty. Those expecting an explosive affair may be a little down. Furthermore, Soderbergh opts to focus on relationships rather than actions. Said differently, Black Bag is more interested in exploring a characters’ “why?” rather than their “how?” As such, some viewers may be craving a little more contextual exposition and resolution to accompany the final reveals.

Black Bag Is chock full of excellent performances that blend together for a perfect spice mix of suspense. In a genre riddled with cliches and tropes, a fantastic script by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible) finds new corners to explore. The result is an engaging film that will keep audiences guessing right up to the very end.

Recommended if you enjoyed: Spy Game, All the Old Knives, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Black Bag is now available to rent or purchase on most digital platforms.  

The post What to Watch This Weekend – Black Bag appeared first on LRMonline.