“Black Bag”: A Spy Thriller Full of Mind Games

A minimalist spy film that flew under the radar in theaters. This is Soderbergh’s Black Bag.

George Woodhouse, a British intelligence officer, receives the order to investigate the leak of a top secret software program. This program, code-named Severus, could be used as a weapon to destabilize governments and promote nuclear commotion. Five fellow intelligence operatives are the suspected traitors, and George soon becomes aware that one of the main suspects is none other than his wife Kathryn.

As our protagonist gets deeper into each of the suspect’s background and interests, he becomes more and more divided between his duty and his undying loyalty to his wife. However, there seem to be higher interests behind the leak, and George and Kathryn may be just pieces of the game.

A Spy Couple in Trouble

Far from using the spy element for elaborate action scenes, Black Bag is carefully built as a psychological game, starting with the main characters, a married couple whose relationship is put to the test.

Despite being obligated to keep information from one another due to the nature of their work, both George and Kathryn’s marriage is based on the strongest loyalty—a loyalty that would go before anything else in their lives. That adds a layer of interest to the whole investigation and makes the character’s quest a very personal issue. I thought the film was going to take the route of betrayal, making either the wife or the husband the final villain, but I was pleasantly surprised. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett seem like an odd choice to play a couple, but they have great chemistry.

The supporting cast is good enough, though not overtly interesting; the script does not give them a lot of space to show off.

While I personally did not get bored at any point, it must be said that the pacing of the film is quite slow, with long dialogues and moments of silence. It demands the full attention of the audience; this is not the kind of film you can watch while scrolling on your phone or doing the dishes; otherwise, you will miss important information. The point is to capture the way these agents, especially Fassbender’s character, who is observant, methodical, and isolated, experience the world. It also does not overstay its welcome, with a little over an hour and a half running time. However, I see how some people can find the whole deal boring, especially if you were expecting a James Bond kind of spy film. In that case, you’re in for a disappointment.

Box Office Results

Despite its excellent critical response, Black Bag’s theater run was short and underwhelming. Its box office earnings were insufficient even to cover the production cost of $60.000.000.

In my opinion, the film has some unarguable merits. Firstly, Soderbergh managed to create something of quality on a small budget, which is always respectable. And of course, Blanchett and Fassbender’s performances. I’m afraid this type of film is not compatible with the short attention spans of today, though. And aside from that, it is also true that Black Bag has nothing innovative to offer in terms of story. It’s well done, but it’s not special. 

Would I recommend it? It provided a little variation to the movies I watch and write about constantly, which I welcomed; the characters were interesting, and I spent a nice evening watching it. So I approve. But if action is what you’re looking for, you may fall asleep in the process. Watch at your own risk.