Spy Game

Name: Spy Game
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: November 21, 2001
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Brad Pitt, Robert Redford

2001

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 73 Ratings

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7.4

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7.4	Your Score
7.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 73 Ratings

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Spy Game

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: November 21, 2001 | R

Starring: Brad Pitt, Robert Redford

Summary: On the brink of retirement, a veteran CIA agent (Redford) takes on his most dangerous and personal mission ever when he must organize the rescue of his one-time protégé (Pitt) who has been captured by the Chinese while on a rogue mission.

Director: Tony Scott

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 126 min

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Critic Reviews

Rita Kempley

The movie is sleek and shiny as a new bullet, reflecting Scott's patented surplus of style. Read full review

Mark Holcomb

Happily, beneath the film's nostalgic veneer and tooth-rattling visual and aural effects lies a mature ambiguity that's unusual for a holiday blockbuster -- and all but unheard of in a Tony Scott movie. Read full review

Mark Caro

If you like Redford, Spy Game will be a real treat: a fast electric thriller full of the old Sundance charm and pizzazz. Read full review

David Ansen

Entertaining but farfetched, Spy Game might have looked less meretricious a few months back. But the real world has sabotaged its pretense of authenticity. Enjoy it for what it is, a fleet, handsome fantasy of globe-hopping blond demigods.

Steven Rea

Fans of swooping helicopter shots, alleys filled with backlit geysers of steam, and jump-cut editing that makes MTV look like Ingmar Bergman will relish the intercontinental intrigue and huggermugger that is Spy Game. Read full review

New Times (L.A.) Gregory Weinkauf

A mess, but it's a rousing mess, with ample humor and action to satisfy the discerning dullard within. Read full review

Marc Savlov

A dead-chamber misfire, a hollowpoint dud. Read full review

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User Reviews

Tarek

Dec 25, 2011

A masterpiece. Redford's performance was outstanding. Redford showed that how strong the nerves can be of a person who is in espionage. Awesome realistic performance from Redford and Pitt supported him well.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Paulystan

Apr 28, 2016

I think this film is one of the best films to come out of the USA. It is clever, has a very solid script, very few monologue cliches, very well acted, perfect settings, good cinematography and combines both the darker and lighter side of humanity in a way that most other films just fail at.I think this film is one of the best films to come out of the USA. It is clever, has a very solid script, very few monologue cliches, very well acted, perfect settings, good cinematography and combines both the darker and lighter side of humanity in a way that most other films just fail at. Have watched 4 times, I will watch it again in a few years I would think.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NBFC

Jan 9, 2018

This underrated spy thriller by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Man on Fire) follows retiring CIA agent Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) as he recalls his training of Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) while working against agency politics to release him from his Chinese captors. Not high on action but never lackingThis underrated spy thriller by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Man on Fire) follows retiring CIA agent Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) as he recalls his training of Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) while working against agency politics to release him from his Chinese captors. Not high on action but never lacking in tension thanks to Scott’s ever-tight direction. This is a movie about mind-games and sharp dialogue with both Redford and Pitt delivering knockout performances. Worth checking out if you are a fan of more realistic spy movies that dwell on the moral ambiguities involved with espionage.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MichaelL.

Feb 26, 2008

Excellent taut thriller with new-millennium A-list star Brad Pitt teaming with 70's A-lister Robert Redford (smartly casted in a 'Buddy picture' after Pitt took direction from Redford in his memorable yet under-appreciated "A River Runs Through it" from 1994) in an Excellent taut thriller with new-millennium A-list star Brad Pitt teaming with 70's A-lister Robert Redford (smartly casted in a 'Buddy picture' after Pitt took direction from Redford in his memorable yet under-appreciated "A River Runs Through it" from 1994) in an entertaining spy film directed by action-obsessed Tony Scott which will have you at times on the edge of your seat. Scott rewards his action hungry audience in calculated doses as the picture is laced with lots of intrigue, and second guessing including a clever use of flashback sequences for additional suspense to this international thriller. Catherine McCormack is appealing as the love interest for Pitt's character which goes beyond obligatory since the joining of the two conflicts with his mentor's guidelines for espionage survival. The chemistry of all the players along with Scott's exciting action input make this an above average Pitt/Redford 'Buddy flick'.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

HotelCentral

Feb 9, 2020

The main problem with Spy Game is that the conclusion is about as implausible as the premise for Blade Runner, which is a little ironic since the directors of the two aforementioned films are, respectively, brothers Tony Scott and Ridley Scott.

What's wrong with how Spy Game ends? Well,The main problem with Spy Game is that the conclusion is about as implausible as the premise for Blade Runner, which is a little ironic since the directors of the two aforementioned films are, respectively, brothers Tony Scott and Ridley Scott.

What's wrong with how Spy Game ends? Well, rather than engage in spoilers let's just say the film's conclusion would likely set off World War III, or something close to it, and most of the senior administrators of CIA would find themselves out of a job, and our protagonist, ably played by Robert Redford, would almost certainly find himself in prison for life and never mind how many skeletons he could produce out of deep dark closets.

Another problem with Spy Game is that it suffers from the same syndrome afflicting so many spy flicks: there are no good guys, except maybe our protagonist. The Russians are bad, the Chinese are bad, and the Americans are all bad and backstabbing everybody in their own agency, most especially our protagonist. And the problem of course is that nobody's going to risk their life for an agency run by backstabbing SOBs who are just waiting for any excuse to rub out anyone who knows enough to defeat their schemes and reveal them as evil.

Spy Games isn't a bad film, but it's severely limited by its ending.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilipeNeto

Jan 14, 2020

On his retirement day, Nathan Muir, a veteran CIA agent, must respond to an informal inquiry about his former protégé Tom Bishop, who was captured on a mission on China. For the US, which is in the throes of delicate trade negotiations with that country, the situation could not have beenOn his retirement day, Nathan Muir, a veteran CIA agent, must respond to an informal inquiry about his former protégé Tom Bishop, who was captured on a mission on China. For the US, which is in the throes of delicate trade negotiations with that country, the situation could not have been more inconvenient. Abandoned by the agency because of political concerns, its Muir's job to try to help his colleague.

This movie is not excellent but it was within what I expected. The pace is good, there is a good tension and a very nice suspense throughout the movie. There are also some action scenes, punctually. Nevertheless, the story told has flaws and problems with logic, which become increasingly evident as the film moves to its conclusion. The ending is truly unlikely.

Robert Redford is the actor who best disentangled himself in this movie. He is a veteran and the character is tailored for him. Without ever losing his pose and composure, he has a very good collaboration with Brad Pitt. The dialogues are good and work well, especially between the two actors. What didn't go well was the movie's romantic subplot, which is bad considering the relevance that will be given to it. Simply, that part of the story was never credible.

Good photography, good sets and costumes, a discreet soundtrack, good sound and visual effects, some good special effects, used with moderation. It's not the movie we're going to see because of its technicalities, despite meeting Hollywood's standards. Its a movie that is worth it for the interesting story it brings us and for the good work of the two main actors, very particularly Redford. But in fact there are better movies out there, and these will probably prove quite forgettable over time.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Feb 2, 2019

A Bit Louder Than Anticipated.

Spy Game Scott's game among spies is more thrilling as a desk job than it is on field. Split into two bits, the Redford part undeniably steals the show with a large margin, whilst Pitt's sequences, no matter how hungry for blazing guns or breathtaking chaseA Bit Louder Than Anticipated.

Spy Game

Scott's game among spies is more thrilling as a desk job than it is on field. Split into two bits, the Redford part undeniably steals the show with a large margin, whilst Pitt's sequences, no matter how hungry for blazing guns or breathtaking chase sequences or big explosions, feels like empty punches. The dull execution is to be blamed along with a cheesy script that has managed to snatch in every good trick from such genre films; and it is people-pleasing, but there is not an inch of art in this commercial cinema. With cheap camera work that notions its existence of a B grade quality with A grade cast, that are totally misused.

Aforementioned, the ticking clock behind Redford and his tactics that never fails to surprise us along with his every posture on the narration, the writers have chiseled him in every step to be an impenetrable stature that is both easily absorbing and lethal, he lives up to his game. The performance of Redford is quite convincing, if not anything extraordinary, his body language and eye does up the ante along with his sarcastic arguments that has a way out of every door. Pitt, on the other hand, has all the physical work to do, in fact, he never shines on screen on his own merit, not only on performance but in character as well.

He barely supports Redford, he is often manipulated, he is a hot head with no character development that comes off as a pawn staged to ooze sexiness on screen; even though Redford overcomes that limitation, a Porsche does boost him though. Spy Game has petty rules that is equally entertaining as it is incongruent, even its last aspect of getting two stars on screen with an incredible chemistry fails poorly; the sunglasses won't be enough.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 12 REVIEWS

86	#86 Most Discussed Movie of 2001
83	#83 Most Shared Movie of 2001