Review of Spy Game (2001) by Sarfaraz A — 06 Feb 2013
Spy Game.
Dir: Tony Scott.
Starring: Robert Redford, Brad Pitt.
U.S. and China are embracing trade agreement. Unfortunately the incident of capture of CIA agent Bishop (Brad Pitt) by Chinese, shakes the very foundation of CIA and the U.S. government. Nathan (Robert Redford), an aging officer on his last day before retirement and the man who recruited Bishop, is called on to brief on Bishop's routines and follow-ups so that they may give up on him.
Very complex and lengthy film, it's too sleek on its subject with flashback stories. There's nothing to shed light on its acting style, to me it all seemed average. Though the story is solid but it's beyond convincing people to believe that CIA could tempt Chinese on their soil and the consequences of such an act could trigger massive response.
In my opinion this movie was made to uphold the morale of the U.S. after the infamous Hainan Island incident that took place few months earlier, when the U.S. spy-plane collided with Chinese fighter-jet; the U.S. plane was forced to land by Chinese jets, after fighter-jet pilot from Chinese side was killed. This incident challenged the new Bush-administration. China detained 24 U.S. crew and after formal apology letter from the U.S. (which the U.S. never approves as apology) the crew was released, BUT THE Chinese did not let the U.S. plane to take off the Chinese soil in one piece, they dismembered entire plane into pieces and shipped to the U.S.
Having mentioned the above story, that I was following enthusiastically back in 2001, I could very much understand the releasing of this sort of movie to curtail very view in general public of the West. It's impossible to go-ahead with just single command from CIA to land on Chinese soil with weapons and being a senior officer Muir should have realized the consequences the entire nation might suffer.
You can see the similarities between Spy Game and Tony's elder brother Ridley Scott's Body of Lies (Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio).
This review of Spy Game (2001) was written by Sarfaraz A on 06 Feb 2013.
Spy Game has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
