'The Amateur'? More like the average
James Hawes' new spy thriller will either put you to sleep or have you on the edge of your seat
Rami Malek returns to the silver screen as Charlie Heller, a deeply introverted government coder on a mission for vengeance, in the James Hawes-directed film, "The Amateur." (Courtesy photo | John Wilson | 20th Century Studios)
"The Amateur" is a spy thriller movie directed by James Hawes ("Doctor Who") that follows Charlie Heller, played by Rami Malek ("No Time To Die") as a brilliant CIA decoder who takes action into his own hands after his wife is mysteriously killed. Heller must trek across the globe with only his whits and a couple bullets to put his wife's killer down for good.
I didn't expect much going in to this film. Judging by the trailers, it seemed pretty cookie cutter, and unfortunately my instincts were right.
It's not that the movie is boring, it's the fact I've seen this type of film dozens of times. The film's a classic revenge story that doesn't break out of the confined walls, it boxed itself into.
Malek was OK, but I know he is capable of far better. John Berthenal ("The Punisher") plays the villain and does a good job of, but still has the same problem as Malek -- the lack of an entertaining script.
Even with all the star power, this film still feels empty and bland.
There isn't much opportunity to play with different perspectives and shots. The soundtrack was very forgettable and slightly boring; nothing about it made my ears perk up
The plot feels restricted by its hyper-real premise and setting. It takes place in our modern world, which is just not the most fascinating thing to put on screen. We go to the movies to escape realism, not to engage in it.
One positive,I will say this movie looks great. Every scene is crisp and you can tell everything that's happening in front of you.
Overall this is a movie you can skip entirely. I'd give "The Amateur" a 6/10.
