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From Amazon.co.uk
A thinking person's thriller, Spy Game employs dense plotting without sacrificing the kinetic momentum that is director Tony Scott's trademark. The film has the byzantine scope of a novel, focusing on veteran CIA operative Nathan Muir (Robert Redford), whose protégé Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) is scheduled for execution in a Chinese prison. It's Muir's last day before retiring (cliché alert!), and Bishop is being deliberately sacrificed by oily CIA officials to ensure healthy trade with China. Muir has 24 hours to rescue Bishop and his perfunctory love interest (Catherine McCormack), and Spy Game connects the mentor's end-run strategy to flashbacks of his student's exploits in Berlin, Beirut and beyond. Ambitious but emotionally bland--and not as exciting as Scott's Enemy of the State--Spy Game offers pass-the-torch humour between leather-faced Redford and pretty boy Pitt, and although their dialogue is occasionally limp, the movie compensates with efficient style and substance. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
Product Description
In Vietnam, 1975, CIA veteran Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) recruits Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) to work as a military assassin. Ten years later Muir and Bishop are working together in Beirut when Bishop falls in love with human rights activist Elizabeth Hadley (Catherine McCormack). Hadley is wanted by the Chinese, and when they finally get hold of her, Bishop goes solo and attempts to rescue her. When he also gets arrested, it falls to Muir to devise a way to save his friend's life.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film is for you if you like a bit of brain exercise. It has a few explosions alright, and two great leads....but it's the intellectual workout that impressed me.
The plot's a little like The Firm, perhaps. Not quite as good, but the same kind of thing: one man against an organisation.
There are a lot of twists and turns and, along with effective flashback scenes, this keeps the plot and the viewer on its toes. The acting is another worthy ingredient: Brad Pitt is good and Robert Redford is superb. Their pairing works too...if anyone was going to be a Rookie to Redford, it just has to be Brad Pitt.
Extra aren't bad. There're shorts on casting and choosing film locations. And I think that's about it.
All in all, a strong film with nice acting and a plot to get your teeth into. Recommend here.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Neil Butler
Format:DVD
An intelligent espionage film!! Don't get me wrong I liked The Bourne Identity alot, but Spy Game is very much a different side to the spy genre. The agents in this film are much more believable. Generally all the CIA men are middle aged pen pushers quibbling over what to do to save face when Brad Pitt's character gets caught behind enemy lines (so to speak). The film juts back and forth between Redford on his last day in the office and the flashback story of how he and Pitt became colleagues / friends years earlier. The strength of Spy Game is in Redford's quite brilliant performance under interrogation from his own colleagues. Where there's little action here, the dialogue and performances make the secnes the most interesting. The flashback scenes where much of Scott's trademark action takes place, are oddly enough the parts that are hardest to follow. Spy Game is a solid and intelligent film, but it does get a little bit lost about two thirds of the way in. With a few minutes trimmed out around this point it could have warranted 5 stars, but minor quibbles like that aside it's still worthy of four for Redfords performance and some great cinematography.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
While listening to the director's commentary on the deleted scenes I discovered that "Spy Game" could have been even more complicated than the movie I just watched. The hook comes before the title as Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) almost succeeds in getting Elizabeth Hadley (Catherine McCormack) out of a Chinese prison in 1991. Of course, we do not know who either of these characters are at this point in the film, but rest assured that Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) will explain everything to us in his own good time. Just to make thing even more interesting, this is Muir's last day at the C.I.A. and to top it off, he is "old school," which means he is going to spend the day butting heads with superiors. We quickly learn that Bishop, who is going to be executed by the Chinese in 24 hours, was recruited by Muir. However, because Bishop did this operation as a rogue and there is a big economic summit with the Chinese coming up, the C.I.A. has no interest in saving his hide. This means that Muir is going to have to save his protégée and do it without leaving the C.I.A. building.
The story of Bishop's recruitment and his training by Muir is juxtaposed with Muir's efforts to find out what is going on and doing something about it. Fortunately Muir has a faithful and competent secretary (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and the fact that nobody in the building is a field agent, which means it is really not a fair battle of wits. The flashbacks on Redford training Pitt (sometimes it is hard to remember these guys are playing characters) are interesting, but sketchy, as are the missions out in the field. Muir lays down the lay for Bishop, which includes such gems as "Don't EVER risk your life for an asset. If it comes down to you or them... send flowers." Of course, Elizabeth Hadley turns out to be just such an asset and ends up coming between the two men. One of Muir's other laws is that if Bishop goes "off reservation" he will not come and get him. Muir says this with such force and emphasis that we know he is going to be a pushover when push comes to shove.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Spy Game
I have given this movie a 4 star rating because it is a surprisingly good 'Redford' movie and the two main actors work well together. I would recommend this movie. Thank you.
Published 1 month ago by Dream Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good film....
A good film about spying, but spoilt by Brad Pitt's foul mouth. Robert Redford on the other hand was blindingly superb in the film.
Published 2 months ago by Tom Tom
2.0 out of 5 stars
Two smartasses
Redford used to be pretty to look at but nowadays he ought to stay behind the camera especially as his acting ability is questionable. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bombalone
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great film
So glad I bought this film. A really good watch for those who like spies and intrigue at its best.
Published 3 months ago by Park Ranger
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great story, godd plot twists, great actors
If you like brad pitt or robert redford
. You will love this film. Classic CIA movie made before this kind of film was all the rage. Read more
. You will love this film. Classic CIA movie made before this kind of film was all the rage. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mark 330
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
If you liked "The Sting" and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" then you will love this film. I fell on this under-rated gem a few weeks back when I happen to read a review about... Read more
Published 8 months ago by ikinmoore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spy Game DVD
I first saw Spy Game at the Cinema, I knew I had to have the DVD, I was not dissapointed. It is a brilliant film, with two of my favorite Actors Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Ballie 1
5.0 out of 5 stars
SPY GAME
THIS FILM IS INCLINED TO BE FAST. YOU NEED A QUICK BRAIN TO KEEP UP WITH IT. I HAD TO WATCH IT TWICE.
Published on 26 Feb 2011 by MOSS
4.0 out of 5 stars
You see the young Redford in Brad Pitt
Spy Game is everything we're not supposed to expect from a major Hollywood movie: engrossing, intelligent, well written, acted and directed. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2007 by Jay
5.0 out of 5 stars
Looks like a standard spy thriller but it is more
Nathan D. Muir (Robert Redford) is retiring from the CIA today. However, he has learned that the agent that he mentored (Brad Pitt)is to be executed as a common criminal in a... Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2006 by bernie
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