© 2012 Ray Wong
An espionage thriller set in the depth of the Cold War,
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is surprisingly somber and character-driven.
Control (John Hurt), head of the "Circus" (MI6), realizes that there may be a mole within the highest rank of the Circus, he sends agent Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) to Hungary to check out a source, Prideaux is shot in an operational disaster, and Control is forced out in disgrace. His deputy, George Smiley, is also forced into semi-retirement. However, after Control is killed, Smiley is recruited to find out who the double-agent is. The suspicion turns to Circus' new head Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), his new deputy Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), Roy Bland (Ciaran Hinds), and Toby Esterhase (David Dencik).
Smiley recruits Peter Guilliam (Benedict Cumberbatch) in his covert operation. It turns out that Gulliam's subordinate, Rick Tarr (Tom Hardy), is the one who blew the whistle. Tarr is on the run, as he has key information from a reliable source close to Moscow. Tarr returns to London and hides under Smiley's protection.
Smiley convinces Peter to break into Circus's record room to find important information. Meanwhile, Smiley has a chat with Prideaux, who survived the Soviet assassination and interrogation. Piecing all the pieces together, Smiley finally devices a plan to trap and expose the mole, but not within personal sacrifices.
Gary Oldman (
The Dark Knight) is of course brilliant as George Smiley. At first, we have to wonder if Smiley is himself the mole, and Oldman successfully makes us doubt him. Oldman's understated and quiet, introspective performance gives the character his deserved gravitas. He carries the film through and through.
The huge cast of veteran actors complete the ensemble. John Hurt (
Immortals) has a relative small but pivot part, and he does an excellent job. Colin Firth (
The King's Speech) is dashing and charismatic. Toby Jones (
The Mist) is wonderfully harsh and rude, while Ciaran Hinds (
The Debt) stays mostly in the background. Benedict Cumberbatch (
War Horse) does a fine job as Peter Guilliam, and Tom Hardy (
Inception) is affecting as the agent on the run. But the standout is Mark Strong (
Sherlock Holmes), whose soulful performance of a conflicted man is memorable.
Adapted from John le Carre's difficult spy thriller, the screenplay by Bridget O'Connor (
Sixty Six) and Peter Staughan (
The Debt) is just as difficult to follow, if not more. Started
in media res, the story unfolds in a nonlinear manner, often interrupted by flashbacks and backstories to fill in the blanks. While the plot really begins with Rick Tarr's discovery, we don't really get to meet him until halfway through the story; the rest is, thus, told in flashbacks. Such storytelling technique can be suspenseful, but I find it annoying instead. There really is no need to tell it in such a haphazard fashion, with so many flashbacks intercutting and stopping the momentum of the main plot.
The writers may think this technique makes the story a thinking men's thriller. But I find it obstructive and difficult, and often it dampens the emotional impact. Further complicated with a complex plot, the story becomes muddled and it takes extreme concentration to understand what is going on. And I did, but the payoff isn't worth it, in my opinion -- I already guessed who the mole was. Granted, I credit the writers for leaving enough clues to help us solve the mystery ourselves. And there are some scenes that are suspenseful and well done -- for example, when Peter tries to "burglarize" the Circus. And the scene, near the ending, with Prideaux, is practically epic and tragic.
Director Tomas Alfredson (
Let the Right One In) has a very good eye. The production is handsome and period appropriate. The mood is excellent. The pacing, however, seems slow and disjointed at times. There are many fast cuts and montages that may simply go over our heads -- it'd take a few more viewings to understand the symbolism or hidden meanings. Like the screenplay, the intercutting of flashbacks and forward plot can be disorienting. Compounded with a huge cast of characters and plot twists, it becomes a lot of work for the audience.
That said, I do enjoy
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I think it's intelligent, and has enough thrills and suspense to satisfy fans of espionage thrillers, but also enough character development (and good acting to go with that) to satisfy fans of drama. We come to really care about these characters, and that is a plus. Still, with the difficult storytelling and complicated plot structure, I find it hard to digest. Perhaps I'd tinker with my opinion after a few more viewings.
Stars: Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong
Director: Tomas Alfredson
Writers: Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughan (based on novel by John le Carre)
Distributor: Sony Classics
MPAA Rating: R for violence, some nudity and sexuality, and language
Running Time: 127 minutes
Ratings:
Script - 6
Performance - 8
Direction - 7
Cinematography - 7
Music/Sound - 8
Editing - 7
Production - 8
Total - 7.2 out of 10.0
Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a journalist who has recently been disgraced in a libel case in which his unreliable source ruins his credibility, causes him his job, and wipes out his bank account. While down in the dumps, he's recruited by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), the patriarch of a rich, famous family-owned company, to write his memoir. In reality, Vanger wants Mikael to investigate a 40-year-old murder mystery: his beloved niece, Harriet, disappeared in 1966, and Henrik believes she was murdered by one of his family members.
While Mikael interviews the family and investigates the evidences collected throughout the years, he discovers bits and pieces of the family's dark secrets. For example, their ties to the Nazi party, or how some members such as Anita Vanger (Joely Richardson) have not been in touch with the family for decades. The head of the company, Martin Vanger (Stellan Skarsgard) indulges his uncle Henrik but he doesn't believe Mikael will find anything, for they have trie to solve Harriet's murder for over forty years.
Mikael decides to hire Lisabeth (Rooney Mara) to be his assistant because of her unparalleled skills in discovering details and knack for hacking computers. However, Lisabeth is an antisocial outcast who has had a hard life. They have to build mutual trust if they want to work together to solve the mystery, when their involvement increasingly puts them in danger.
Daniel Craig (Cowboys and Aliens) sheds his tough guy image to play a bookish, sensitive journalist in this adaptation. His performance is understated and impressive, conveying resourcefulness and courage as well as vulnerability and confusion. Rooney Mara (The Social Network) totally reinvents herself in the title role. Her fearless performance is transformational and outstanding. A rising star to watch.
The large supporting cast includes the incomparable Christopher Plummer (Beginners), who plays the gentle patriarch of the Vanger family with grace and style. Stellan Skarsgard (Thor) is also excellent as Martin Vanger. Joely Richardson (Anonymous) is appropriately gaunt and sullen as Henrik's estranged niece Anita. Robin Wright (Moneyball) is at ease playing Mikael's editor and lover.
Adapted from Larsson's novel by Steven Zaillian (Moneyball), the screenplay is split between two parallel narratives that eventually merge: Mikael's arc and Lisabeth's ordeal. While the structure and the amount of information and number of characters can be confusing at first, Zaillian is successful in keeping everything straight and streamlined, and the two narratives advance smoothly with a great pace. There's always conflict, and the plot moves along with good tension -- there's hardly a dull and boring moment. Part of the fun for the audience is to put the clues together with Mikael. But the screenplay also succeeds in giving us strong characters and their backgrounds that may have nothing to do with the plot but make the story more resonant.
Director Fincher (The Social Network) is no stranger to thrillers that deal with killers or violent crimes. This movie is up his alley, and he gives us a taut mystery and drama that doesn't shy away from harsh materials such as rape and torture. In fact, some scenes are so brutal that it can be difficult to watch, but I applaud him, the filmmakers and the actors for being true to the story and characters. The film also has a strong European look and feel, appropriately, even though it's an American production.
Not having seen the Swedish original or read the novel, I'm impressed with the storytelling and performances. It's one of the best thrillers in recent years.
Kate Lloyd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a paleontologist at Columbia University, has been hired by scientist Dr. Sander Halvorson (Ulrich Thomsen) to go to Antarctica to examine a specimen. When they arrive, they realize it's an alien creature that landed in a spaceship over 100,000 years ago. They succeed in retrieving the alien frozen in ice. However, unbeknownst to them, it is still alive and later escapes.
The team, including American pilot Braxton Carter (Joel Edgerton) and research assistant Adam (Eric Christian Olsen), begins to search for the alien. In an attack, one team member is killed and they destroy the alien by burning it. While examining the remains, Kate discovers that the alien imitates its prey at the cellular level. What's more frightening is that the creature is still alive, and thus can be anyone of them.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) is in fine form as the female lead in this male-dominated horror. Her performance (and her character) is smart but vulnerable, yet she's not a damsel in distress. She can certainly handle herself and save the day. Winstead has a strong presence and dominates in her scenes. Joel Edgerton (Warrior) is the Kurt Russell of this movie: charming, strong, and resourceful. He and Winstead have good chemistry and a palpable sexual tension between them.
Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen (Duplicity) has the thankless role of the arrogant boss who makes the wrong decisions and puts everyone in danger's way. He serves his purpose, but the character is simply too predictable to make any impact. Eric Christian Olsen (The Backup Plan) has a better time with his amiable would-be love interest for Kate, plus he has one of the best scenes of the movie. Trond Espen Seim (The Frost) leads a fine cast of Norwegian actors in this production, including Jorgen Langhelle (Betrayal), who plays Lars (the character also appeared in the 1982 movie) with great intensity.
The screenplay, written by Eric Heisserer (Final Destination 5), takes great pain in recreating and expanding on the 1982 movie. It's not just a prequel and homage, but a companion film. What impresses me is that Heisserer manages to match the details of the John Carpenter film and devise a plot that explains these details logically. Best of all, we don't have to watch that film to understand this one, but by watching both films together (which I did upon returning home from the theater), we get a sense of completion and understanding.
But time has changed. While the John Carpenter movie unfolds slowly, this has a much faster pace. The plot takes off immediately and keeps going. Because of the inherent limitations (since most people have problem seen the original), Heisserer doesn't waste too much time building the suspense or trying to over-explain what the alien can do or how to kill it -- we've seen it already in the 1982 film. Also, the tone is different. The original was all about paranoia and desperation. This is more about the horror and confusion of first contact, while the characters figure out what is going on and trying to survive.
Sure, there are cheesy dialogue, predictable moments and plot holes (what horror film, especially a prequel or sequel, can avert that fate?), but the screenplay is surprisingly coherent and taut. Suspenseful even though we already know so much about the alien and what may happen. The thrill is more in what exactly happened, instead of what will happen.
Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. (Zien) is a surprising choice because of his short resume. However, I think he's succeeded in creating a new movie that matches so well the original without losing its own identity. The tone is intact. The production is generally good, matching the original movie to create a coherent continuation. While the direction lacks John Carpenter's finesse, patience, and cinematic effects to induce suspense and awe, it does the job nicely. The upgraded CGI, together with physical effects, serve the film rather well.
While this prequel lacks the suspense, tension and dread (and pure horror) of the original, it is solid entertainment and holds up very well against the classic. As a companion film, it's a thing to behold.
