Category Archives: CIA

2014, Anti-terrorism, Based on a Book, CIA, Clever Plot, Complicated, Conspiracy, Cynical, DO NOT MISS, Ethical struggles, Father-son relations, International thriler, Spy Theme, Spy Versu Spy, Suspense, Wonderful acting

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

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From Netflix:

A half-Russian, half-Chechen man, brutalized by torture, arrives in Hamburg, where he seeks a British banker’s help in recovering his father’s estate. But the man may not be all he seems to be in this riveting adaptation of John le Carré’s novel.

Warning: you may be seething by the end of this film. Possibly that means that this well-acted film based on the novel of the same name by John le Carré is also written and directed quite well. But what is the point of such skullduggery if there is not some truthful basis to the film? Is it worth being cynical about the fun adventures of counter-espionage because a film pushes a fictional point of view? In other words, I wish the story were “based on true facts” instead of “based on a book”.

Every review I read of this film was a rave. Perhaps that is why I was glued to the screen right up to the end.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is his usual sloppy wonderful self in this his last film before he committed suicide. Rachel McAdams succeeds as a sincere vulnerable young human rights lawyer. And then there is the stunningly beautiful Robin Wright playing a cold deceitful role not unlike her role in the American version of “House of Cards”.

WAS ISSA AN INNOCENT MAN ?

Take a tranquilizer and enjoy this great film. DO NOT MISS!

2014, Action Film, Cancer theme, Car Chase, CIA, Father-daughter relations, Nothing special, Suspense, Thriller, Violent

3 Days to Kill (2014)

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From Netflix:

After a terminally ill secret agent retires to spend his remaining time with his family, he’s asked to complete a dangerous last mission in exchange for an experimental drug that might save him — if he can survive its hallucinatory side effects.

At his current age of 59, Kevin Costner in this film does indeed look like a tired and sick aging man. But here he is as much Kevin Costner, neither better nor worse, than in any of his other films. It is amazing how he never misses a shot with his many weapons.

So what makes this story different from any other “secret agent lethal assignment” story?

  • He is dying of a brain cancer.
  • He has ignored his wife, from whom he is separated, and daughter throughout his career. Now is his chance to reconcile.
  • Not too terrific actress Amber Heard, playing supposedly sexy Vivi Delay, trades one last killing assignment for a series of experimental shots that may cure Harrison.
  • One side effect of the drug is that whenever Harrison’s heart beats too fast (think “Shootout at the OK Coral”) he gets dizzy and nearly faints. This effect is annoying when he is confronting each of the really mean bad guys.

Details were clever enough to keep me interested.

2014, Abduction, Action Film, Action Hero, Alcoholism, CIA, Clever Plot, Computer geeks, Conspiracy, DO NOT MISS, Father-son relations, FBI, Flirting, Love Story, Medical Theme, Motorcycles, Revenge, Spy Theme, Suspense, Torture, Violent

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

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From Netflix:

CIA analyst Jack Ryan tries to thwart a terrorist plot to bring down the U.S. economy in this action-thriller helmed by Kenneth Branagh. Chris Pine plays the title character alongside an all-star cast that includes Kevin Costner and Keira Knightley.

Although films consisting of spies + CIA + terrorists + international plots + action heroes + car chases + FBI + “you name it” may seem to be all more or less the same, still some writers manage to make a particular film exciting and somehow a little different. Undoubtedly the star cast which includes Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Kenneth Branagh helps make this film worth seeing.

Romance between Chris Pine (as Jack Ryan) and Keira Knightley (as Doctor Cathy Muller) is clever and well done.

Needless to say, if our side of the effort does not win, then our world will end in some horrible disaster and major financial depression.

And of course Jack Ryan is a super hero endowed with amazing physical powers of survival. After all, do YOU have a doctorate in complex finance? Can YOU run and catch a moving delivery van? Are you able to physically fight commando style? Are YOU a computer wiz? If not, what is the matter with YOU?

In my case all I can do is watch the fun. All it takes is a really evil bad guy and I am hooked into the plot till the end. Kenneth Branagh excels at being that really nasty villain. He does it with such a straight face. Are Russians really that mean?

Despite the fact that there are an awful lot of clever CIA-like devices and surprises that get our hero out of many jams, if you like this action genre, then DO NOT MISS!

2013, Action Film, Amusing banter, Car Chase, CIA, Complicated, Conspiracy, Corruption, Crime, Cynical, Flirting, Gangs, Mayhem, Military, Navy, Nudity, Plot Twist, Violent, Witty dialog

2 Guns (2013)

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From Netflix:

Two special agents — one Naval intelligence, one DEA — partner for an undercover sting against a drug cartel that takes a serious wrong turn. Disavowed by their agencies, the pair goes on the run while trying to find out who set them up.

Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg make a fun team in this twisting and turning romp. According to the film’s philosophy just about everybody is a crook. Just start off by thinking the pair are just a couple of crooks aiming to rob a bank and let the plot take you by surprise. Many of today’s action films feature clever repartee between characters and this film is no exception. Needless to say the film is violent. As for sex, Paula Patton is slightly naked in just one scene.

Only in our cynical age could such plots be possible. Just because in fact the CIA installed our Pinochet in Chile after murdering Allende is no reason to think that CIA agents might be dishonest.

Have fun!

2013, Acceptable Trash, B-movie, Car Chase, CIA, Conspiracy, Crude Talk, Mayhem, Nothing special, Suspense, Violent

A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)

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From IMDB:

John McClane travels to Russia to help out his seemingly wayward son, Jack, only to discover that Jack is a CIA operative working to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist, causing the father and son to team up against underworld forces.

What can I say? You will see the usual car chase mayhem. Possibly the father and son theme adds a little (very little) something.

Jai Courtney, who plays the son Jack, played Varro in “Spartacus: Blood and Sand”.

There are at least two plot twists as a reward for actually sitting through this B film.

2012, Based on true facts, CIA, DO NOT MISS, Docudrama, Iran, Suspense, Thriller, True Story

Argo (2012)

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From NetFlix:

In 1979, when Iranian militants seize the American embassy, six Americans slip into the Canadian embassy for protection, prompting the CIA to concoct an elaborate plot to rescue them by pretending that they are filmmakers rather than diplomats.

From the Wikipedia article we learn:

Upon release, Argo received widespread acclaim and also received seven nominations for the 85th Academy Awards and won three, for Best Film Editing,[7] Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Picture. The film also earned five Golden Globe nominations, winning Best Picture – Drama and Best Director, while being nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Arkin.

From that same article you can read about reactions of the Iranians, reactions of New Zealand, and historical inaccuracies. Initial subtitles put that historical period into perspective, telling us just how we got into such a mess. From one point of view it is no wonder the Iranians hate us.

Tony Mendez, the real-life CIA agent, must have been an amazing person. For 120 minutes you will be sitting on the edge of your chair hoping he can help the six Americans escape. Scenes were contrived to heighten that suspense. For example at the very end of their ordeal, as the 6 Americans and Tony Mendez have just gotten into the plane and that plane is slowly maneuvering to take off into the air, there are truckloads of angry Iranians racing down the runway trying to stop the takeoff.

If you can stand the excitment, DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!

Based on true facts, CIA, Suspense, Terrorist Attack, Torture, True Story, Violent

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

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From NetFlix:

For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. ZERO DARK THIRTY reunites the Oscar-winning team of director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal (2009, Best Picture, THE HURT LOCKER) for the story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man.

Two and one-half hours is quite a bit of time to spend watching a CIA procedural. If there is one theme that runs throughout the film (in addition to the quest for Osama bin Laden) it is that Jessica Chastain as a CIA agent named Maya is doggedly determined to achieve her goal of killing Osama. She plays a very intellignt and capable agent who bucks no opposition from the CIA hierarchy. Indeed the film makes clear that the job is made more difficult due to conflicts, doubts, differences of opinion, and the need to maintain an appearance of success by each careerist. “Careerist” is not really fair: the agents were sincerely seeking to eliminate the terrorist. Of all the many fine actors involved, who do you suppose plays the C.I.A. directory: none other than the godfather himself, James Gandolfini.

“Zero Dark Thirty” is a phrase used by the military in designating an unspecified time after midnight but before sunrise.

In the beginning of the film there are several torture scenes taking place in a CIA black house. Once those torture scenes are finished, there are no more such scenes for the rest of the film. This is another way of saying that you could easily skip he torture scenes.

For the last hour or so you get to see the young bucks who actually raid the house of OBL (as Osama bin Laden is lovingly referred to in the dialog). And the raid makes all the procedurals worth the wait.

Get a good night’s sleep and then watch this film.

2012, Acceptable for children, Based on a Book, Chase film, CIA, Mayhem, Medical Theme, Motorcycles, Violent

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

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From NetFlix:

Following the Jason Bourne debacle, the CIA finds itself dealing with a familiar threat when another estranged operative surfaces. Jeremy Renner stars alongside Edward Norton, Rachel Weisz and Joan Allen.

Cars chase motorcycles. Motorcycles chase motorcycles. At least this film is a notch better than Premium Rush.

We all cheer for the two real-life friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. But in my opinion Jeremy Renner (who played Sergeant First Class William James in The Hurt Locker) fits the role better than Matt Damon who strikes me as the nice kid next door. Notice in one quick moment we get a glimpse of a photo that is supposed to be a younger Renner. Of course the photo is of Matt Damon. There is no way Renner could be an older Damon.

Don’t worry if all those blue and green pills confuse you in the somewhat boring beginning of the film. Just hold tight and all will be explained.

Renner and Weisz play off one another quite well. This film was acceptable for kids because there is absolutely no sex, just tons of violence.

Seeing an older Edward Norton return to being the bad guy (remember him in “Primal Fear”?) worked for me. He is one cold fish. Why is the CIA often the villain in today’s new films?

If nothing else the special effects eye candy and the motorcycle stunts could be worth the price of admission. Once again I wonder how the stunts were filmed. Even the Wikipedia article does not talk about this aspect of the filming.

Let your inner kid just enjoy all the fun.