Steven Soderbergh’s Sophisticated Spy Thriller

Director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp again deliver greatness with Black Bag, a crisp spy thriller and whodunit that will keep you guessing until the very end. Their second feature of the new year, after the creepy Presence, and third collaboration overall (including 2022’s Kimi), boasts an all-star cast in a twisting odyssey of murder, betrayal, and lust. Black Bag skillfully avoids lame genre clichés by keeping the narrative taut and firmly grounded in realism. There are no overblown action scenes, silly gadgets, macho heroics, or slinky femme fatales here.

The opening scene introduces George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender), a senior British intelligence officer, at a roaring London nightclub. He clandestinely meets Meacham (Gustaf Skarsgård), a colleague assigned with a specific task. Meacham confirms that a top-secret program has indeed been stolen from the government. He hands George a list of five possible suspects with the clearance, aptitude, and opportunity to commit the crime. One of the names belongs to Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), George’s beloved wife and another high-level spy.

Spy Games

Black Bag

4
/5

Release Date

March 14, 2025

Pros & Cons

• A crisp spy thriller with a great cast.
• Keeps you guessing until the end.
• Superbly shot and directed by Steven Soderbergh
• Marisa Abela nearly steals the show.

• A brief runtime for such a complex narrative.

George returns to their fashionable townhouse with grave concerns. Could Kathryn really be a traitor? He watches her get ready for a hastily arranged dinner party with everyone on the list. Kathryn knows George has an agenda, but is unaware she’s also a suspect. The fastidious George dutifully prepares a scrumptious meal. The guests arrive as couples.

Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), recently passed over for a promotion by George, comes with the young and beautiful Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela), a computer expert with a fiery temper. Next is Col. James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page), the man George promoted, and his girlfriend, agency psychiatrist Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris). Their nerves are clearly evident as George’s reputation is well known. What are they doing here? The night begins in earnest when George asks everyone at the table to play a disconcerting game.

Black Bag is very much in the vein of author John le Carré, with a focus on sharp dialogue and establishing intrigue in the personal and bureaucratic spaces of espionage agents. George, with his buttoned-up attire, black-rimmed glasses, and lean physique, moves quietly and with cold purpose like a hunting shark. Koepp, an industry stalwart who’s written everything from blockbusters (Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, the Indiana Jones franchise) to indies (Premium Rush, You Should Have Left), frames George as a man not to be trifled with. But his iron exterior doesn’t shield a beating heart of loyalty. George treasures Kathryn above all. What would he do if she was the culprit?

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Steven Soderbergh Is Still a Cinematic Titan

Blanchett, phenomenal as always, is another seasoned operative in ruthless spy tactics. She’s on a critical mission that George can never know the details. This is both a bizarre truth and the crux of their relationship. They share the same bed, but can’t be honest about what they’re doing. A degree of compartmentalization must exist between them for safety and security. Kathryn goes about her business with the same precision as George, but with personality and style. This doesn’t make her any less lethal. She could easily be the villain under George’s sensitive nose. He’s aware of that possibility and cannot use their love for each other as an excuse.

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Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Ocean’s Eleven, Magic Mike) continues to be cinematically daring in his shot selection and editing style. Black Bag could have devolved into boring submarine warfare with the characters talking in tight settings and staring at computer screens. Soderbergh allows scenes to develop, and then cuts back and forth between his actors for different visual perspectives. Black Bag is a mystery with a hidden antagonist whose motivations aren’t known. Each suspect has to conceal their emotions, feign ignorance, and pretend to be forthcoming. The viewer, like George, has to see faces and reactions under duress. The ensemble is essentially playing poker. Who’s bluffing and holding the bad guy cards? Soderbergh’s masterful camera work brings that tension to a simmering bowl as the plot thickens.

‘Black Bag’ Is a Steely, Sharp Whodunit

The supporting cast have their share of secrets and lies outside the primary story arc. There’s a lot of sleeping around here, which makes sense in context. These people live in an insular world. They can’t troll the dating apps for hook-ups with their dangerous jobs. The characters find comfort and companionship with others of the same ilk. The three sets of relationships Koepp explores acknowledge boundaries, but cross lines when human nature and infidelity rear their ugly head. George and Kathryn seem beyond this bed-hopping fray, but is the strength of their bond simply an illusion masking darker goals?

Related: 10 Genre-Bending Steven Soderbergh Movies Like ‘Presence’

Marisa Abela nearly steals the show from the venerated leads. She’s an onscreen dynamo that infuses energy and cracking vivaciousness. Her relative youth to the other players is discussed and doesn’t make her less innocent. You’ll have to watch and find out if she’s the key to the finale, or just another piece in George’s Black Bag puzzle. The big reveal does not disappoint. Race to the theater for a sophisticated spy game meant for adults. A Casey Silver production, Black Bag will be released theatrically on March 14th from Focus Features.

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