A big screen outing for a very popular TV series in the UK, which has been running since 2002. I will admit that I have never watched it, but Netflix UK having it all on I may change my mind after seeing the film. So this review comes from a stand alone view of just the film with no influence from the TV series.
It doesn’t take long for something to happen in the film as the opening scenes show a terrorist getting broken out of custody, when Harry Pearce must make a decision to save his agents who are accompanying the prisoner. Obviously this is not a popular decision and it does not take long for Harry to disappear and even trying to fake his own death.
Will Holloway a former MI5 agent is then thrust back into the radar as one of the last phone calls Harry made was to him. Although he actually has no idea why, well to begin with any way. The film moves at a good pace with plenty of things happening to keep you interested and wondering what is actually going to happen next. A lot of which I cannot really talk about as don’t want to spoil any of the twists and turns the film takes you on. I will admit that I was way off in my guesses on what was going to happen in the end.
Kit Harington probably a good choice for the leading role at the moment with Game of Thrones back in full swing and I think he showed a slightly different side to his acting ability in this film. Although I am guessing this addition would not be greeted in the same fashion by die-hard fans of the TV series? Maybe someone can let me know there answer to that one.
A bit of a different style and take from what James Bond does, but nonetheless entertaining. Obviously some of the characters don’t get a lot of screen time and I didn’t really work out who some of them were within MI5. It all involved trying to find a traitor, something which is always interesting so you can try to guess who it possibly could be.
I thought the relationship between Harry and Will was good in the sense of it took a little bit of time to fully understand them. Why Will was taking everything so personally and that his father was an agent for MI5 but died before he was born. I thought this gave the character a bit more depth and created a good story to find out about.
So I thoroughly enjoyed this as a stand alone film as it had plenty of action and moments to make you wonder what is going to possibly happen next. So don’t let the fact you haven’t seen the TV series put you off as I still liked the film.
