Secret Agencies caught in a deadly game of chess
Bakang Israel | Friday November 13, 2015 15:11
During the Cold War, Russia captures US pilot Francis Gary Powers after shooting down his U-2 spy plane. Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Powers’ only hope is New York lawyer, James Donovan, played by Tom Hanks. Donovan was recruited by a CIA operative for a near-impossible mission of negotiating with the enemy. Donovan boards a plane to Berlin, hoping to win the young man’s freedom through a prisoner exchange. If all goes well, the Russians will get Rudolf Abel, the convicted spy who Donovan defended in court. Tom Hanks, in this movie, gets the limelight playing his trademark role as an ordinary person caught in an extraordinary situation. Hanks’ record speaks volumes having won two Oscar awards.
Three-time Oscar winning director, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks carry on where they previously left off having worked together on movies like Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal.
Action
In this film we see spies and intelligence operations tracking down each other. Precisely Russian KGB plants spies behind enemy lines. Imagine an old man with no teeth as an active spy agent. Mark Rylance did extremely well in this role fooling the CIA as well as the Game City cinema’s audience. This film is long enough to enjoy the devious blackmails to the maximum. Speaking of blackmailing, the other fun part about this drama is the fact that it took us to an era where treading in foreign territory was a double-edged sword. This made Donovan’s work harder protecting every US citizen caught behind enemy lines. The cinematography for this epic film is a vintage look, which brings the feel of the 1960s Cold War to life. Bridge of Spies also has fascinating drama action, scenes where Donovan goes against his family and nation protecting convicted Russian spy from the jaws of death; being a vicious court sentence. This is quite reminiscent of the OJ Simpson murder trial of the early 1990s when his lawyer went against his family and friends to defend Simpson. Bridge of Spies is armed with themes of dishonesty, justice, honour, family, manipulation and consequence. It actually revolves around a war fuelled by a quest for information or intelligence, which makes it a very deadly game of chess with the loser awaited by a bullet.
Reception
According to box office statistics, Bridge of Spies was produced from a budget of $40 million. This thriller has gone on to amass a whooping $72 million, after it premiered third on box office chart, with breakout day sales of $15 million three weeks back.
New movies in circuit leading box office.
1. Spectre
2. The Peanuts
3. The Martian
4. Goosebumps
5. Bridge of Spies
Ratings
For this intense nerve-–wrecking negotiation by Hanks, I will give the movie 8.5.
Movie: Bridge of Spies
Genre: Biography Drama History Thriller
Duration: 2 hour 21 mins
Age Restriction: 13
Release Date: November 6
Director: Steven Spielberg
Main Cast: Tom Hanks (James Donovan), Mark Rylance (Rudolf Abel) Austin Stowell (Francis Gary Powers), Alan Alda (Thomas Watters)