This is one Robert Redford performance I really enjoy. He has created a number of memorable characters during his long career but this role is so intelligently crafted and played with utter sincerity that it is for me a standout. Redford is a CIA employee at the end of his career and the film shows his career over a number of years as it interacts with Brad Pitt, who is an idealistic assassin. Redford's bosses want information on Pitt and are questioning Redford and the mind games commence. It is unusual to find a Hollywood movie with intelligent writing and I appreciated the convincing script here. The one major factor that undermines the film is a sappy music score by Harry Gregson which is a distraction just when it needs to be supportive of the action. But if you can get around the annoying boy soprano who shows up singing the same theme several times during the story you will see a superior performance from Robert Redford in a story that makes you think.

Not much to add to all the other reviews except that the effects and good acting were totally spoilt by the ever present and irritating music in the background. Every scene has some form of annoying music which changes in an ad hoc fashion. There is no need for it and in the end cheapens the movie - I could not wait for it to end - it irritated me so much Such a pity - two good actor messed up by the sound effects people. I felt so relieved in the few parts that had no artificial background noise.

For all its posturing and its stops along the blots on America's post-war copybook, Spy Game's probably no more realistic than The Spy Who Loved Me, but it is considerably better than expected considering its pedigree. Despite a few moments where he got carried away with the stylistics (such as the unintentionally hysterically funny freeze frame captions repeating a deadline every time someone mentioned it to underline the drama) and a rather silly ending, the pros definitely outweighed the cons for once in Tony Scott's espionage saga. Harkening back to the cynicism of 70s conspiracy thrillers like Three Days of the Condor but ultimately lacking the guts to go all the way with its nihilism, it's a lot more engaging and entertaining than it has a right to be. But it is hard to believe that CIA execs would be so genuinely delighted at the prospect of their own agents being executed by foreign powers.

The story is about Nathan Muir (Robert Redford), who is a CIA agent on the last day of his job at the 'farm'. He finds out from a fellow agent that one of his protege', Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) has gone missing in China, presumably on a mission and is captured by the chinese authorities. The senior group at CIA call on Nathan Muir to interview him about Tom Bishop's character so that they can paint a picture of him as a rogue agent with a private agenda, the movie revolves around a series of flashbacks of how Nathan trains Tom Bisop after he discovers him as a scout sniper for a mission, in Vietnam. One of the dialogs at this point was made by Brad Pitt's character when asked about how they put food on the table , "No Sir, we had a safeway back home" and then eventually for certain reasons, which i don't want to divulge, they are forced to part ways and how Nathan gets Tom out forms the rest of the story.

Its fast paced, thrilling, has a romantic angle, with Tom Bishop's love interest in the film, played by Catherine McCormack. Its a very well made spy thriller and rivals on TV movie marathon re-runs only next to 'Clear and Present Danger'.

Good movie to add in your collection.

Dialog
"We need this problem, like we need a third tit"
"you using the other two?"

The twists in this movie are what make this movie excellent. Pitt and Redford are on the top of their game.

Excellent 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'.

This spy movie takes you in unexpected directions, yet always makes sense. The basic plot surrounds robert Redford who plays a veteren CIA officer. He is due to retire from the CIA, but learns his protege is in trouble. What he then does will have you cheering.

The casting is dead on and all the actors do an excellent job of portraying their characters. The story is well crafted, but never gets so serious that you can't enjoy yourself.

Great performances in this film. Robert Redford gives his usual excellent performance. Brad Pitt is also excellent in this spy thriller. The transfer to dvd is very good unlike some I have. I thought is was well done with a good plot.

Buy it!

My Profile: 43 yo (and getting better), no qualifications whatsoever as a movie critic

I never get tired of watching this movie, the tutor apprenticce relantionship is superb and I think the documentation on the inner works of the CIA and their everyday lives of their field operatives is very well researched and credible.

The movie has many plots in which to recreate on, the acting of both Pitt and redford is superb and one can appreciate the strong bonding that they make.. a bond that holds no mater if Pitts character goes roge and is left to his own death by the CIA, but the fundamental role is undeniably in the hands of Redford, who under inmense pressure is able t use the CIA owns inner strings to conduct the game he wants to be played, it is mixture of skill, inside knowledge and at the same time an act of redemtion, for Redford's character is in his last days on the CIA prior to retirement, we see a man that now is tired of playing the office game and seeing how the world he once help construct (thorugh dubious schemes) is now meaningless and devoid.

You could also see a healthy critisism of the CIA unescrupulus tactics in scenarios we are now prone to forget such as the cold war and the lebanon of the civil war of the late 70s... yet to me this is not a movie designed to expose a political angle, I guess today this sort of movie would be censored for it may carry a message that may weaken institutional moral against terrorism, or some croc along those lines.

This is rare glimpse at aworld of spies not taylored to the glamour that hollywood highlits of a marvel james Bond type of hero, we see real people, facing friendship, love, political backstabbing, alienation, etc.

The movie has been 'BOURNE' out (pun intended) in previous critque's but, HD gives some great visual-gasm's to the system.

If your designs are to have a story that takes intellect and marries to it great acting and visuals to match....Here's your winner!

Unfortunately Redford, although an incredible actor can also hit a wall now and again. I found this film to have a large concentration on conversations that were supposed to be meaningful in regards to the mentoring ability of Redford's character. Instead it ends up being just talk, and at times almost seems to appear as if it has no real purpose. They would have been better off finding some real former spies and making a film based off of those experiences instead of the dull, boring effect that this thing emits. Really just could not find anything good in it, and although it has a great cast, the roles they fill are just that...filled, but not enough to make this film have any rewatchable value.

Phenomenally well done spy/suspense film which keeps you captivated the entire film as to what is going on, where the movie is going, and how all the pieces are going to fit together in the end.

You have Robert Redford, playing a veteran field operative for the CIA named Nathan Muir, whom has one last day of work for the bureau before he retires. He's tipped off by outside sources that something has gone wrong with his protoge Tom Bishop, played by Brad Pitt, whom is a another CIA field operative whom has been recruited and trained by Nathan Muir. Muir arrives at work on his last day of work to figure out what exactly is going on.

During the next 24 hours, Nathan Muir pieces together that Tom Bishop has be captured by the Chinese for espionage and will be executed within 24 hours if the USA doesn't claim him. The upper tier of management at the CIA isn't going to claim/rescue Tom Bishop. Instead, letting him be executed by the Chinese because the U.S. President is about to visit China the following week regarding future trade between the U.S. & China.... It is the CIA's take that claiming Bishop will look badly on the US and ruin any future trade with China. To make matters worse, Bishop wasn't on any official assignment to China on behalf of the CIA and the US has no idea why he has broken into a Chinese Prison.... So the real question being asked is by the CIA: Is Tom Bishop a rogue agent OR not?

Throughout the rest of the movie we see Nathan Muir using his skills as a field operative within the CIA's headquarters to find out what is going on with Tom Bishop. During this time, we find out how Nathan Muir & Tom Bishop became acquainted and the nature of their relationship, what kind of man each is, through the course of flashbacks that Muir's character relates to a group of upper management whom want to know more about Bishop's character. Muir only tells them as much as they need to know as he plans to rescue Bishop from China before the 24 hour time period once he finds out from upper management where Tom Bishop is being held.

The twists and turns throughout this movie show us how Nathan Muir rescues Tom Bishop and what/why Tom Bishop was doing in China in the first place. It is one fantastic movie that is great to watch every time!

A very god movie as far as content, but terrible picture quality as far as it being high def. I would have to say don't waste your $$ on the HD-DVD version and just by the regular DVD, they both have the same picture quality.

Good movie to have and stay with, both main actors are a real classic, will make for a good collection addition.

Ridley's younger brother has created his own brand of of action movie (Enemy of the State, Man on Fire). Thanks to Scott's distinctive cinematography, pacing, music and production values, Spy Games succeeds despite the mildly self-conscious performances of the leads, Redford and Pitt. In Spy Game, Scott does his typically masterful job creating a sense of place recreating Viet Nam, Cold War Berlin and the Middle East in the early 1980's. His attention to small details and the choice of supporting actors make repeated viewings a pleasure.

THE Movie:
If you like spy movies, this is a good movie to consider. Although the movie was made in 2001, It takes you back to the 70's and to many troubled places around the world. One minute you're in Honk Kong, then in divided Germany, the next, you're in Beirut at the time of the Lebanese civil war where a big part of the movie took place. It reminds us of the Berlin Wall and It shows some of the Palestinian people horrible living condition in refugee camps in Lebanon. It also shows the CIA involvement in Mideast assasinations.

Robert Redford is the main player in the movie. He appeared much older to me than one of his older spy movie (and one of my favorite) from 1975 " Three Days of the Condor". He also proved that he is still a great actor.
The movie is very entertaining and it keeps you thinking and guessing as more and more information is revealed about "Bishop" (Brad Pitt) and the intention of the CIA to deal with "the problem or crisis at hand".

THE DVD: (HD DVD)
This HD DVD has a great transfer, and the picture quality is excellent! The audio is also great!
There are some extra feautures such as deleted scenes, however, none is in high definition or even in good standard DVD quality. I would only only rate the extras one star.

Overall, Great Movie, Great Quality HD DVD Transfer. Recommended

Pay attention to details because if you do they will repeat later in the movie. It was really a fun movie. It was more involved that some other movies. I really like action adventure. This one is a little bit higher level. Not super high, but just a little.

It is refreshing to watch an older Robert Redford pitting his acting skills against a younger Brad Pitt in this spy thriller movie. Both of them acted very well despite the sketchy plot.

To me, the storyline is pretty straight-forward: A retiring CIA operative, Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) learned that his protege, Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt), had been arrested in China as a result of a botched rescue attempt of his girl-friend. He was due to be executed shortly. Because of vested interests, CIA refused to mount a rescue. Out of friendship, Muir engineered a successful but unauthorised rescue.

The entire movie is beautifully choreographed through black & white flash-backs & pure dialogue, during which Muir recalled his personal encounter & close friendship with his protege. That relationsip spanned across a timeline of about twenty years, from the Vietnam War in the 70's, to the end of the cold war in Berlin during the 80's & then to the mean streets of Beirut in the 90's.

The movie moves on to show how Muir had taught Bishop all the skills (or dirty tricks?) of spycraft...how to case a restaurant, fix a radio,...to be callous, look at the big picture...to stay remote...to sell out people if that's of use...to kill.

There is no typical high-octane action sequences in this spy thriller movie, except for a heart-pounding escape scene in a China prison.

Throughout the movie, one can see how Muir had to use his wits & all the skills (or dirty tricks?) he had learned while working for the CIA to out-smart the CIA's top echelon as well as his fellow CIA operatives to mount a personally-financed rescue mission.

I really enjoyed watching his brilliant machinations as he moved from scene to scene in the movie. I just loved the part where he juxtaposed CIA satellite images to fool his bosses. He even forged the signature of the CIA Director. At the end of it, all of them apparently did not have the slightest clue as to what was happening & had happened.

On the whole, I have enjoyed watching this spy thriller. It is also comforting to know that an accomplished Singaporean actor, Adrian Pang, had a small role in the movie. He played a medic during the botched rescue attempt.

I know some people find it just average or a mildly entertaining flick but for some reason it is one of my top 5 films. Honestly, I couldn't really tell you why I like this film so much. Maybe because of all the locations and the events that occur in them? Maybe it's because I like the acting? Honestly, I have no idea. For some reason I could watch this film every week and I would enjoy it all the more. If you didn't know, the soundtrack is worth every penny.

Not that anyone else hasn't already said this: but good looking guys, international spies and a thriller plot - what beats that? i could watch this movie over and over and not get bored. Love it!

Has it all: blend of thrill, action, adventure, elements of friendship and love. Recommended highly.

It starts off pretty good, alot of action and such, but the times when Robert Redford is not having flash backs it gets extremly boring. They also make it a little more complicated then it has to be.

Excellent actors, scenes, photography and story.
Watching An action packed movie with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt? How wrong can you be?
Spy game has a blend of action inside and outside the CIA offices. It also shows what a man can do and how far he can go for love.
Some of the story takes place in Beirut during the civil war in the late 1970's. Since I lived there during most of that period, I can say the recreation of Beirut and life in that city during that crazy time are pretty accurate. Enough said.
DVD quality, picture and sound are excellent. Highly recommended.

Director Tony Scott should take the main bow for SPY GAME, an intellectual spy flick and primarily a director's film. With locations shot in Beirut, Lebanon, Berlin, Budapest, Casablanca, England, Haifa, Hong Kong, and Prague, a certain color and realism is guaranteed. And, sure enough, the photography and direction are in capable hands as is the script, which seems flawless. You gals out there might note that BOTH Robert Redford and Brad Pitt star in this slick tale of the CIA spy game. (Yummy!) Some reviewers seem concerned about an emotional flatness between Pitt and Redford but, hey, these guys are trained killers or at least serious craftsmen in the field. You feel too much as a CIA agent, you forfeit your life, my friend. So let's get real, okay? And very real is SPY GAME. The plot is intricate and layered as a wedding cake. CIA veteran Nathan Muir (Redford) is retiring and on his last day at his CIA job (what a waste of talent!) and his impulsive younger protege Tom Bishop (Pitt) is being held in a Chinese prison about to be executed for a botched rogue operation. How Muir saves the day for Bishop from long distance, being watched and questioned by his superiors in Washington who would rather see Bishop be executed by the Chicoms, is the crux of the story. It is a kind of mind over matter thing, the cleverness of Muir's efforts in contrast with the physicality of Bisphop's failed operation. Scenes of Bierut street fighting, flashbacks to Vietnam, takes inside CIA offices, all are very well done. SPY GAME is a classy, entertaining spy flick with good production values. Again, hats off to the director.

When this movie came out in November 2001, my big brothers took me to see a movie that had Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. "Hmm," I thought, "I'm not sure about this, but it's a free ticket, so what the hell?" Believe me when I say that this movie is so much more complex, intense, and entertaining than it looks. The trailer gives the totally wrong impression of what SPY GAME is about. This is not --- I repeat 'NOT' --- an "action" movie. Instead, SPY GAME takes a thinking-person's knack for clever storytelling, and juices it up with the flashy and quick style seen in many of today's movies. Again, don't let the trailer allow you to judge this film.

Tony Scott's movies have always had that quick-cut, fast-paced, full-force style to them. His brother Ridley Scott is a much better filmmaker; why is that? Because Ridley (THELMA & LOUISE, BLACK HAWK DOWN, ALIEN) has better control of the action and knows when to tone things down. In SPY GAME, Tony Scott finally finds his niche in great filmmaking, where style is complimented by good characters and a terrific story.

Nathan Muir (wonderfully played by Robert Redford)is a CIA operative, who on January 1991, is on his last day before retirement. However, his protege Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt in one of his better roles) is captured in Su Chou Prison in China, while the U.S. and the Chinese are negotiating trade talks.

When Muir learns of Bishop's capture, he races against time to save him from execution. Unfortunately, some CIA investiagtors and bureaucrats aren't as eager because of the aforementioned trade talks. What's fascinating about this setup is that Muir is always one step ahead of the game than those who want to abandon the rogue agent. Instead of this being the "Muir/CIA Showdown" (which we do get some clever exchanges), there is actually a character study underneath it all. As Muir is surrounded in a conference surrounded by his adversaries, pretending to play ball with them, he gives them details about Bishop's past, training, and work ethic. The storytelling is slightly faulty, because there are a few moments where Muir seems to be talking to the audience instead of the characters. But this is where Tony Scott's energy saves these awkward moments, because Scott knew this much dialogue needs good camerawork & actors to keep us interested. Scott invested enough time in the characters as well as the audience's thirst for high-stakes thrills.

Robert Redford hasn't really changed his acting that much since BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, but that's because he's smart enough to know his limitations. He isn't a chameleon who creates characters; Redford just uses his natural gifts to embody the role with his own mannerisms.

Brad Pitt also doesn't do anything groundbreaking, but is also in the right frame of mind that Redford is. Pitt possesses the charm of a gifted agent but the brash ego of a rookie. The supporting cast is also simply acting the way we expect reliable character actors to perform --- they don't try to steal the show and trust the filmmakers. This approach allows Scott's filmmaking style to drive the thriller at its best pace.
Pitt and Redford have a chemistry that makes us believe that Muir actually takes pride in Bishop's skills, while needing to maintain discipline and control over his new job. Pitt's counter-reactions to Muir's mind-games give both men a texture not often seen in espionage flicks. SPY GAME involves the morality of the two men, rather than preach about more universal themes.

I hate flashback sequences, but these are impressive and never slow down; much credit belongs to Redford because his narrative voice keeps things going. The present-time Muir/CIA games are very much like a poker game. Without giving away too much, the tactics involve simple tools like pagers, ambiguous dialogue, and keen eyes. There's no violence, or anything that forces us to suspend disbelief. Some neat moments include Muir quickly glancing at key data, and somehow getting information with the vaguest of words. Another is the CIA digging up his office, when Muir has no reasonable excuse for getting out of the interrogation. This movie is never a bore, and is very exciting considering most of it centers around a conference room.

In addition to the strong acting & directing, one of my favorite aspects of this movie is Harry Gregson-Williams's music. His score includes some cool beats during the spy montages, and some powerful chords during those dramatic moments of betrayal and reflection. Of all of the music I've heard from him (he's most famous for Michael Bay pictures ARMAGEDDON and THE ROCK), I easily call this his best work.

I really dig this movie! It's not perfect, and maybe it does borrow some aspects that other thrillers (and maybe Bruckheimer pictures) have done before. But this is a top-notch film with a strong presentation that keeps it moving. Because SPY GAME is energetic and focused at the same time, it's an exceptional film that warrants a purhcase!

FINAL NOTE - The DVD features are all good. There are some behind-the-scenes features that are worth checking out, and the Deleted Scenes (w/ or w/out Commentary) are actually good. I usually don't like Deleted Scenes, because it's obvious why they shouldn't be there. But these actually quite good, and would've added another layer that would've enhanced the story. An excellent movie got a grade-A DVD treatment!

Nathan Muir (Robert Redford), a CIA operative about to retire, receives a phone call from Hong Kong on the morning of his retirement. Hurry to the office and read the cable. At CIA Headquarters, Muir learns that Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) has been taken prisoner by the Chinese government for trying to help a prisoner escape. Muir's supervisors want to hear all about Tom, an operative trained by Muir. Muir quickly learns that Tom may be sacrificed and sets about saving his former protégé.

"Spy Game", the new film directed by Tony Scott and starring Redford and Pitt, is a satisfyingly good film. Almost surprisingly so. Scott is a good director, but he edits his films very fast, almost as though he is catering to the MTV Generation. He may very well be doing that, but if so, the film has a lot of story, seasoned actors, and a complicated story, elements not usually associated with an MTV Generation film.

Redford is very good cast as the aging CIA operative. Much of the film is told in flashback as he recounts the training of Tom Bishop. These scenes are actually the best because they allow the actors to create a relationship, a bond between the characters which is interesting to watch. Redford conveys an authority that Bishop picks up on and almost embraces. He becomes the father figure that Pitt's character needs. He also manages to convey emotion when his character isn't supposed to convey any. It is interesting to watch Redford play against Pitt; I can see the similarities between Redford at Pitt's age and Pitt's acting now. If Pitt manages to create half the library that Redford has, his career will be well-remembered.

A significant portion of the film is set in 1991, present day in the film's timeline. These scenes focus on Muir trying to learn about Bishop's situation and smack of an artificial air. These scenes are interesting but Muir learns way too many things by catching glimpses of things out of the corner of his eye, or holding fake conversations during the middle of an interrogation. All of these scenes are set in CIA Headquarters. They make the rest of the staff working at the CIA appear to be buffoons.

As the story careens back and forth, in both time and between places, I became increasingly involved in the story and was able to overlook the excessive editing. The flashbacks, ranging from the Vietnam War to the conflict in Lebanon, show Bishop as he matures and the relationship with Muir deepens. As they are both spies, outward emotion is frowned upon, so it is interesting to watch Pitt and Redford display what emotions they can and to make these characters empathetic.

The editing is still on my mind. At times, this works. For instance, there will be a master shot, establishing a town square for instance. Then the camera will find an element, move quickly towards it and turn slightly, showing us where Muir is, in a landscape. This seems successfully evocative of an actual spy mission. But this type of effect is carried to extremes and over-done, making it difficult to concentrate on things for very long.

Another interesting thing about the film is the pacing. Most of the flashback sequences are exciting and fast-paced. The scenes set in 1991 are much, much slower.I don't mind this, but it is another inconsistency, especially as the film appears to be geared towards the MTV crowd.

Despite the over-editing and the ease with which Muir finds out confidential information, I recommend "Spy Game" for the engaging characters created by Redford and Pitt.

I liked this movie more after watching it multiple times. It's not the kind of movie you necessarily enjoy watching over and over, but it is nice to watch after you've already unraveled the sometimes-confusing plot so that you can enjoy the show.

The movie follows two storylines, the first a flashback involving the relationship of CIA Field Manager Redford and his recruit-turned-protégé Pitt. The current storyline involves Redford's efforts to save Pitt from the depths of a Chinese prison while the rest of the CIA is working to bury him.

Redford's character is pretty cool, with the street-smarts of a Harry Bosch combined with a slick comfort in the presence of administrators that Bosch could never muster. He is basically trying to redeem himself for a lifetime of morally ambiguous CIA dealings by putting his career and even freedom on the line on Pitt's behalf.

The camera cuts are gritty and fast-paced, without being so MTV'ed out that they distract from the story. The story is simple and intriguing, with the most pleasure coming from Redford's little tricks that, on the one hand, are so old fashioned that they wouldn't seem out of place in a quaint gumshoe noir, but on the other hand are just clever enough to be believable in foiling the CIA.

The movie bogs down in some of the flashbacks in my opinion, and the cuts from present to past and back again get slightly confusing if you're not paying close attention.

I must admit, Tony Scott is one of the greatest action directors the film world has to offer. He not only has the ability to push his actors, but also create these amazing visuals that transport us deep into the setting of the film. He has mastered the cinematography of nearly every picture he has done, giving us these beautiful shots of the world that we may never see in our lifetime. Several of his films enhance my DVD collection like Crimson Tide and True Romance, but sadly Spy Game will not. While Scott does wonders with the actors, scenes, and camera angles, it is the story that is ultimately flaws this film. The lack of coherence, consistency, and structure take this Tony Scott film and transform it into just your average Hollywood spy film. It had the potential to reach new levels, and there were several scenes that I loved, but I just couldn't believe the story. Let me explain.

My biggest issue with this film was the lack of aging from our two main characters. This film spans a timeframe of about sixteen years, and throughout the course of that time neither Pitt nor Redford age. Director Scott chose not to use CGI or younger actors for the parts when they were in Vietnam, so as the time progressed in the film, our main actors did not. This was a huge hurdle to overcome since I wanted to enjoy this film. I did not see the mission where the discovered the fountain of youth, so I can only assume that this was some bad judgment on Scott's part. Redford and Pitt should have aged more than what they did in this film allowing us to see the emotion and sheer force behind their eyes.

Outside of this point it was your average Hollywood action film. Large explosions and violence countered with a sneaky Sneakers-esque style subplot overshadowed the plot. Pitt was nothing more than the muscle of the operation, and Scott gave us nothing to build more upon his character. I fault the writer of this film. I believe that the homework was done correctly, just not structured correctly. Perhaps it was just me, but I had trouble following some of the missions. I realize they were necessary, and possibly not rocket science, but the scene with Charlotte Rampling made no sense. Maybe I missed a part that was crucial in some way, but overall it just seemed like there was more jumping and fighting than actual plot. I felt as if the love interest was randomly placed through the film. I realize that Pitt was not one to follow simple commands, but I felt early on in this film that he would have the ability to walk away from a woman if needed. Spy Game suddenly went from smart espionage film to "master has to fix newbie's mistake". This felt strange to me because throughout the film Redford continued to speak about having the upper hand, and not straying from the point. Yet, when Redford was faced to save his friend, he did just that. Was he learning from his pupil? If so, it was not very well spelled out and a very weak point.

Outside of the story, director Tony Scott gives yet another beautiful film. The cinematography is outstanding. I loved the way that he kept us, the audience, in suspense as to what time it was and how much time they had to save Pitt's character. The black and white flashes followed by the time were inventive and it seemed to work. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Scott controlled this film and it was a pleasure to see that. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the master of the action genre and that more scripts should be coming his way. I hope they are more inventive than this outing and have at least a bit more meat on their bones.

Overall, I thought this was an average film. I am disappointed because there are better than average films that Tony Scott has released, I am ashamed to ask why this film was not one of them. Pitt was solely used for the purpose of his strength (and to capture the attention of a younger female audience) while Redford was used mainly for his dashing good looks (and to capture the attention of the older female audience). Once you realize this point than this film will fall into place. I don't think it deserves more than one viewing, but the cinematography alone was powerful enough to watch once.

Grade: *** out of *****

Despite numerous flaws, Spy Game is a thrilling picture. It also happens to be the most realistic (realistic being a relative term... this is still a Hollywood movie) portrayal of espionage to be put on film; this as close to the real deal as Hollywood has ever gotten, folks.

The screenplay, written by Michael Frost Beckner and David Arata, is a solid effort, if somewhat forgettable. It unfortunately suffers from a few cliches throughout (the aging, retiring mentor syndrome, a melodramatic love affair) but makes up for its off-beat moments with occasionally razor-sharp dialogue and moments of genuine tension. Tony Scott directs, showing remarkable restraint in his usual pension for ultra-flashy camera techniques. Spy Game still has its fair share of camera kinetics, and Scott directs the action scenes with the high-movement and quick editing he's known for. Harry Gregson-Williams provides the film's both intense and subtle score, an electro-symphony mix with flourishes of choral work that's as effective and functional as the film.

Acting wise, Robert Redford plays the same role he's played many times before, and honestly, seems to be almost neutral the whole picture. While utterly convincing, he hardly pushes himself here. No, this is more of a vehicle for Brad Pitt and his rising talent, and while Pitt does well, it is the supporting cast that carries the film.

Spy Game will never win any awards. Still, the film deserves more attention than it's gotten, and is definitely worth a look, and espionage fans should definitely make an effort to see the film. It's a well-made, well-acted picture with some real suspense and tension.

I think Tony Scott is secretly a woman and you can tell whenever it's his time of the month because it's his time of the month when his movies suck. That's the only thing that would explain how he can make movies so amazingly good as The Last Boy Scout, Top Gun and especially Crimson Tide, and then turn around and make movies as horrifically bad as this and True Romance.

The action centers around a CIA spy drama in the truest sense of the word. In a half-narrative half flashback mix, Redford explains the circumstances leading up to the capture of Pitt in communist China. The dialog is intellegent, the scenes move quickly, and the back-and-forth of the story is put together in such a way to constantly leave you wondering, "Then what happened?", without leaving you clueless.

The building of anticipation right up to the end explains why the viewer will be so quickly drawn in. (Only the rare historian will be dissapointed by a lack of unnecassary historical specifics -- These scenes are full without them). Credit also goes to the director for drawing out the empathy for the leads from the audience as well.

For the story, its as classic as Redford himself.
Robert Redford plays a role that can truly take you back to his early work, such as a warden in "Brubaker", with a star performance as a CIA operative fighting time as he approaches retirement. Redfords character ultimately has to re-evaluate a principle he had based his entire life and career on.

Pitt also puts forth an outstanding performance, however his character is primarily a tool for the development of Redford's.

Enjoy.

Yet another movie in which Robert Redford gets to reprise his role as an irritating know-all. He has played pretty much the same character for the last ten years, and this time the phoney sagacity emerges though the persona of a CIA commander handing out lines like 'don't ever question my orders again', 'you just lost ten seconds', and (yes) 'you're ten minutes late' to his fawning understrapper Brad Pitt. Yawn. Actually wasn't that last line followed by another admonitory clich? seconds later? Oh yes: 'Don't let it happen again.' By the way, this movie *is* marketed as a thriller.

How behind the times is a film which still tries to portray the embattled North Vietnamese as an enemy requiring murderous force to extirpate? How confused is a movie in which Redford refers in one moment to the 'seventeen sects' in Lebanon and thereafter has to use the cumbersomely neutral locution of 'the Lebanese militia' to refer to the sect the US had sided with? How cliched is a movie which intercuts between a tuxedoed reception at an embassy and a gritty car-chase behind the iron curtain? Plus the enemy du jour is - surprise, surprise - the Chinese.

The moviemakers' meticulous research and attention to detail is evdient throughout: Redford repeatedly pronounces Sheik as 'chic'; a scene opens with a shot of the Szabads?g bridge in Budapest while the subtitle reads 'Berlin'; and of course stealing top-secret documents at Langley is simply a matter of distracting the secretary, swiping them off his desk and hiding them under your jacket.

But I suppose you could just watch it for the garbled morals, the inapposite techno/dance soundtrack and director Tony Scott's frenetic swoop-then-freezeframe camerawork...

Tony Scott's intricately plotted spy drama ironically places two of our blond matinee idols in jeopardy. A leathery-faced Robert Redford with the fresh blossom of youth in Brad Pitt. Both actors do well in their roles, with Redford coming out on top as his role demands a little more. Scott is good in keeping the pace quick even though there are several moments that you wonder if he can keep it up. Pitt plays a CIA operative captured on a botched mission and scheduled to be executed by the Chinese. Of course, the CIA will allow this because Pitt was on a rogue unauthorized mission, and they don't want to ruin their trade relationship with China. Redford does everything he can in a 24 hour period to ensure Pitt's safety.
The movie has a fine supporting cast including Marie-Jean Baptiste as Redford's secretary; Larry Bryggman (soap opera's AS THE WORLD TURNS); Catherine McCormack as Pitt's love interest, and Stephen Dillane as Harker, the self-assured, egotistical fellow agent.

David Hemmings and Charlotte Rampling have cameos.
All in all, entertaining, if a little hard to follow sometimes.

A stupid movie! Only a Joke! Never buy it!

Wow, what's NOT to like in this tightly-directed, smart spy thriller? Certainly not Brad Pitt, who plays Viet Nam vet, ex-boyscout, erstwhile trained assassin who doesn't shy at doing wetwork while agonizing about the fate of his "assets" or contacts in the field. And a great performance from Robert Redford as Nathan Muir, who is about to retire as a CIA agent, but has plenty of game left in him on his last day at work.

The supporting cast is mostly unknowns who do a superb job as CIA flacks, and the plot is full of twists, turns and yet is logically laid out. The tension builds nicely at the beginning, and though this is a longish film (2 1/2 hours) it carries the tension well and never, ever drags.

I enjoyed this film for the fact that nothing really was telegraphed as to outcome, though we almost see the film in full circle from beginning to end. A fine effort by Pitt, Redford and most of all, Tony Scott.

Highly Recommended.

JLD