SPY GAME (**½)
Films about espionage are always about the fear of getting caught. And effective spy films are skillful in creating that fear by developing a concern for a spy and his motivation, in order for us to feel tense about the risks of his trade (James Bond movies are not so much about espionage but of action since we know he’s going to get out alive). The higher the stakes are involved, the more interesting the movie gets (provided the loopholes aren't large enough to drive a car through). Compared to its predecessors, SPY GAME is slick, kinetic, but with little substance. It has lots of sugar but very little soul.
The movie starts with Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt of SE7EN) going undercover into a Chinese prison apparently to spring one of its prisoners out. Things go wrong and he gets caught. It then shifts to Washington D.C. where Nathan Muir (Robert Redford of THE HORSE WHISPERER), Bishop’s mentor, comes into knowledge of his protégé’s capture. As he explains his relationship with Bishop to his superiors, he comes to realize that the CIA would rather let him die (due to political reasons). This sets up the film’s engine as Muir attempts to rescue Bishop behind the backs of his superiors within a day (which happens to be his last working one). In the course of his rescue we come to the gradual realization of who Bishop tried to rescue, and why.
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? And on some levels, the movie is intriguing. It’s just that it goes at too fast a pace for you to appreciate it. Tony Scott has a penchant for quick cuts and gadgetry (check out G.I. JANE, TOP GUN, and ENEMY OF THE STATE to see for yourself). He loves showing off technology (you could think that he owns "The Sharper Image" catalog), and his nifty filming tricks. Notice how he thunderingly stamps on the screen how much time is left to save Bishop. It’s a neat gimmick, but gets tiresome after each reminder. You thought SE7EN was dark? This movie is almost devoid of any light. Every shot seems to have a drab, fading, and depressing tone despite its energized pace. I got sick of it after a while.
Try and notice if there's any scene that lasts more than ten seconds. There is no time to dwell on the importance of any moment, and that’s a shame because the film has a mountain of information to get over. I expect many viewers to be perplexed as to: What project was this? Who was that guy? The logic is sound. But we’re given little time to digest enough data to use it. There’s also very little to like about most of the characters. Brad Pitt’s is always likable, but we aren’t given time to dwell on the motives for his character’s choice of becoming a spy. We’re told he got bored and have to accept it that. We aren’t given the time to empathize with him. When he falls in love, there aren’t any love scenes, no development of romance. We forced to take it as matter of fact in order to get on with the story.
Consider the far better spy movie THE TAILOR OF PANAMA. In THE TAILOR, the film allows the mood of the locale to set the tone. The backdrop of poverty and the gap between the have's and have-not's allows us to feel pity for Panama city. In SPY GAME, though the locales are beautifully chosen (especially scenes depicting the war in Lebanon, which are fantastic), we only see the desolation for a few moments. We see mutilated bodies not for us to relate to, but are used merely as decorations for a setting against which the protagonists perform their business (which seems kind of a perverse act by the director). It’s not the background of the film that sets the tone, but the quick-cutting, the high-speed glossy type of filmmaking which dominates the picture. In THE TAILOR, Catherine McCormack also plays the love interest of the spy, and is allowed to be sexy. Her character’s sultry appeal and intelligence is allowed to show itself. But she isn’t allowed to any of the same revelations SPY GAME. She’s merely a brass ring in this movie of boy-toys, no matter how noble her character seems to be.
The core that holds this movie together is the performance of Robert Redford, who is in excellent form. It’s a wonder to see him create a character we care for, so effectively with so little. What do we know about him at the start? Nothing. What do we know about him at the end? Still not much. But he creates an empathy we are drawn to, and it spills into the other characters. We care for Nathan Muir, and since he cares for Tom Bishop, we care for him too. And since Tom Bishop cares for Elizabeth Hadley, we feel the same way. It's also amazing how good Mr. Redford looks since he’s in his mid-sixties. I hope I have the longevity of his looks (Hell… I wish I had his looks period).
I’m not saying that this movie is bad. It’s actually very watchable, and has some very entertaining moments. But its mountain of details is a burden to delve through. And it’s not worth seeing again just to understand the movie. We’re also blessed to see two very skilled actors (who are also two of the most good-looking men ever to grace the screen) at their craft and Brad Pitt can learn volumes from Robert Redford. If you have nothing to see, SPY GAME is enjoyable. In its genre, it’s impressive eye-candy.
Posted by FLIPCRITIC at January 14, 2002 12:00 AM