The Double is an average spy thriller with a familiar cast. And the plot also seems very familiar with two US operatives trying to find a Russian assassin. No Way Out features a similar plot with a bit more twists and odd turns. But don’t worry, there will be twists here too. And car chases, fights and all the rest of the stuff that you would expect to find in a movie like this. I wish they kept some of the surprises for the final third but what can you do. I love my thrillers with a bit of mystery on the side and that’s just the truth. At least we get the usual young/old buddy cop dynamic.
If you’re a fan of spy thrillers, The Double will do just fine. However, if you’re looking for something more you better lower your expectations. Or simply skip this one altogether. Cleanskin or Traitor are much better choices. Here the script feels like they asked writers to come up with some intriguing spy shit, they never wrote the script, said their dog ate, and then doodled something on a napkin in a few hours. Visually the movie is quite appealing and the cast did a decent job with this ill-written script. It was nice to see Topher Grace, along with a couple of veterans, Gere and Sheen. Gere did a particularly good job proving that he still got it.
Paul Shepherdson is a retired CIA agent enjoying his civilian life when some bad news comes through. It’s about his biggest case, Cassius, and it seems he will be needed again. This time, a young and dashing CIA agent Ben Geary will join him. Both of them now must scour the Earth to find a vicious Russian special agent. Strangling his victims with a wire (garrote), he’s one dangerous, smart and elusive individual.
As you can see, the plot is pretty simplistic but it works. What doesn’t work are some of the action scenes that seem just too unrealistic. All of this together makes The Double a perfect weekday movie. Something to watch before the real thing. And you can always make fun of it and its cliched twists. Finally, I urge you not to watch the trailer for this movie as it simply reveals too much. Of course, you can watch our Subversive Rabbit trailer below because it’s relatively spoiler-free. So, if you’re up for some spy games, mystery, and mildly entertaining plots, check this one out.
Director: Michael Brandt
Writers: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas
Cast: Topher Grace, Richard Gere, Martin Sheen, Stana Katic, Odette Annable
Fun Facts: Richard Gere dislocated his shoulder during a fight sequence with Tamer Hassan.
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IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1646980/
