BLACK BAG REVIEW
“One of the most intriguing and compelling spy thrillers in some time, possibly one of Soderbergh’s strongest movies to boot.”
There was a brief period when filmmaker Steven Soderbergh – who was nominated for two directing Oscars in 2000, won his first and only Oscar for Traffic before never being nominated again – seemed to be drifting over to streaming just like so many other filmmakers, including his good pal David Fincher. He seems to be shifting back to theatrical, and hopefully, that pays off for him.
Black Bag reunites Soderbergh with David Koepp, who also wrote the ghost movie Presence, which came out less than two months ago, and I wasn’t really a fan. In this case, it might be one of Koepp’s best screenplays, one that’s on par with that of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, while taking place in a similar John le Carré-like setting.
Michael Fassbender plays George Woodhouse, an agent for the NCSC (National Cyber Security Center), a British intelligence agency, who we first meet, as he’s being assigned his latest mission, to draw out a traitor within the agency’s midst. George’s specialty is sussing out the truth, often using polygraph testing and other psychological methods, and the traitor might even be his own wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett), a top field agent. He begins this mission by inviting a couple of friends and work colleagues over for what is meant as a casual and friendly dinner party that doesn’t go too smoothly. Joining George and Kathryn are two couples: Freddie and Clarissa (Tom Burke and Marisa Abela) and Col. James Stokes and Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris). We’ll learn more about all of them as the film progresses.
The overall plot also involves a dangerous cyber-weapon dubbed “Severus” that is in danger of falling into the hands of Russians if this traitor succeeds. It’s not always clear what is going on, because there are so many moving parts in play, but that also contributes to how we’ll learn more about these characters and their relationships as the film progresses.
What makes the strength of Koepp’s screenplay so apparent is readily confirmed by the cast Soderbergh was able to put together for this one. Black Bag is very much an ensemble piece, even as much of the attention that will be put on Fassbender and Blanchett, as that early dinner scene quickly introduces the characters, their personality, and dynamics, while also leaving much open to be revealed as the film goes along.
In some ways, this is a very different role for Fassbender from the assassin he played in David Fincher’s The Killer, though there are aspects to his character that could be seen as similar. George is brutally honest, and that means outing his own friends on their indiscretions, and that includes his own wife. He knows everything about everyone, and he’ll use that information to weaken their defenses in hopes of finding the traitor. Of course, Blanchett is amazing as always, but she really can do no wrong. Getting to see her during quieter moments with George, as well as in the field, not only confirms the depth of her character but also her undeniable range as an actor.
Naomie Harris’s Dr. Vaughan offers an interesting dynamic, since she’s the agency’s psychologist, but she’s also having relationships with a few other agents, which come out during those sessions, for which we’re the proverbial fly on the wall. Those psychological sessions possibly reveal more about her as it does others, and her dynamics, particularly with Tom Burke (Praetorian Jack from last year’s Furiosa) and Regé Page’s characters are quite juicy. As much as the dinner party piques your interest, it’s these sessions that make you start to wonder whether anyone is telling the truth about anything.
Similarly, Abela’s Clarissa has some great scenes with Fassbender, as they’re trying to set up a camera to spy on Kathryn while she’s having a clandestine meeting that might implicate her as the traitor. Fassbender also has great scenes with Regé-Jean Page that really increases the pervasive tension with each of their interactions. While I was most familiar with Fassbender and Blanchett, Black Bag left me a fan of each and every one in the cast.
Black Bag may be one of the most intriguing and compelling spy thrillers in some time, possibly one of Soderbergh’s strongest movies to boot. Much of that can be credited to David Koepp’s taut screenplay and the brilliant cast that gravitated towards it. This very much feels like a movie that will gain even more with repeat viewings.
Rating: 7.5/10
Black Bag hits theaters nationwide on Friday, March 14.