Product ReviewsSpy Game (DVD, 2001)

Not Worth My Time

Jittery, disconcerting screenplay from start to finish. Hardly entertaining. The film's artistic value is virtually zero, IMO. Apparently, this is one of the most hyped films in America. It was a mistake to buy this. I'm not a big fan of Robert Redford, but I just wanted to see how good this film really is. Well, in the end, it left me with nothing but regrets.Read full review...

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Spy Game (DVD, 2002)

This is an excellent movie, and is textbook Robert Redford. The Cold War has just ended, and the Soviets are just Russia now. It's 1991, and it has been a long career, and today, God willing, will be an easy day, and when he leaves it will be for good! Retired! But, that's what you get for wishful thinking. With one phone call, everything changes; Boy Scout has been arrested in China, and is being charged with espionage. He will be executed in 24-hours. Nathan Muir (Redford) has been a CIA senior agent for years and he clearly remembers meeting Tom Bishop (Boy Scout/Brad Pitt) in Vietnam in 1973. He was a young sniper who did a job for the CIA (Muir)on a VC General. A year or so later, having had him posted in Berlin with personnel who spoke little English, Muir was sure that Boy Scout was ready to be approached and ready for a change. Muir arranged to bump into him at Munich Station, where he quite innocently invited him to dinner and a party where he recruited him as a CIA operative and began his training. Boy Scout was a nickname Muir gave Bishop because when asked where he learned to shoot, he replied in the Boy Scouts. Bishop's training went well and he proved to be a natural. Now he is under arrest. Muir can't let this happen to him. Upon entering the building, Muir is requested to give all information available on Bishop. He knows why, but doesn't let on. He hides most of what he has and is asked to join the meeting on this situation. The information that they give Muir is - Very little, and "Need to know". It doesn't take long to figure out that they aren't trying to save Bishop, but are looking for a way to let the Chinese kill him. There is a Presidential trade summit coming up with China and the CIA is trying to avoid any waves. Muir realizes what is going on and sets his own plans in motion to save him. The movie entertains a lot of dialogue about the various assignments that Bishop was on, along with the reasons that Bishop was in China in the first place. It seems that there was a girl in Lebanon who was working with a group doing peacekeeping work, and with a doctor, that they needed to use to kill a big time terrorist. The plan was to get this doctor to poison the terrorist during a yearly checkup with a substance that would cause a fatal heart attack. The doctor was a distant relative of this terrorist and didn't know that he was responsible for death of the doctor's parents. Muir could see that Bishop was falling in love with this girl, but because she was also close with other factions, couldn't take the risk chance that Bishop would be compromised. So to kill two birds with one stone, he traded her to the Chinese, who wanted her for a bombing years before in London, for a low-level CIA operative in their custody. Through these various flashbacks including this incident in Beirut, Bishop progresses from eager beaver to disillusioned veteran in the 1980's. Bishop was attempting to rescue her when he was captured at Su Chow Prison in China. Now, just about as slick as it gets, Muir sets a plan in action to rescue Bishop and the girl. With a typed operations order and a forged signature, and his entire life's savings he successfully pulls it off, and there is nothing that they can do. This is a complicated and very entertaining movie. Great storyline, and very slick!Read full review...

Intense, Well paced and enticing Spy Thriller

As someone who is generally wary of espionage film, as I have trouble following the twists and turns, the composition of this film was most refreshing.
The plot in a nutshell is so; Robert Redford is on his very last day as a CIA Agent before retirement. He discovers that a former field agent of his, played by Brat Pitt, has been arrested during a prison break in China. Redford's CIA superiors demand he explain Pitt's actions and background. The rest of the story is then told in a series of flashbacks as Redford relates the first time he met Pitt in Vietnam, his subsequent recruitment and training in Berlin and the his work in Lebanon.

Redford's performance is a masterpiece of experience and knowledge; he gives the audience almost no insights into his part's character yet manages to get them to empathise with him the whole way. It really is a joy to see such a master at work. Pitt pulls his weight and gives a good solid performance. The rest of the cast do their job well enough but there's no mistaking the director decided to make this a comparison of heartthrobs from yesteryear and the present day.

The plot and dialogue are a delight as well, there are some really funny gags and the relationship that builds up between Redford and Pitt is a pleasure. So much so in fact you can forgive the film its numerous holes and inaccuracies.

My only one criticism is that there is no effort made to "age" either Redford or Pitt during the whole film, and when you consider the passage of time is at least 25 years this was maybe something the filmmakers should have considered. I question also the way that Pitt manages to wear 90's fashion in 70's Berlin, but, hey, I suppose that's cool for you!Read full review...

Spy Game

I have loved Robert Redford since he played in "Downhill Racer" so many years ago and "Spy Games" falls right into one of my favorites with him. This movie is such a great movie that I had to purchase it for my collection. Brad Pitt and Robert Redford together is a great combination and not hard on the eyes makes it a bonus. This movie has suspense and a great plot. The ending is so much more than I expected, which a surprise ending is always a treat. I liked how it shows that the government employees have heart, some of them anyway, and that there is much more behind the scenes in government which gives this movie a lot of character. In my opinion this is a must see movie and you won't be disappointed in it. This is one of my favorite movies and I would have paid $12 to see it in the movie house but waited to see it on Netflix. It is definitely a movie to add to your collection. I thought that this movie would be one of the "guy" flix but it was a pleasant surprise that it was even appealing to us women. I am truly glad to see Robert Redford back on the big screen and does a brilliant performance, as does Brad Pitt. I have no doubt that if you take a chance and watch this movie you will not be disappointed. It is a fantastic movie and I am sure that you will love it as I did!Read full review...

Great story

Good suspense storyline

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The characters were good

The movie was ok, husband liked it

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Veteran and newbie

A good engaging espionage thriller featuring two actors at the top of their game.

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lightweight with great features. lol

Redford and Pitt in the same movie. This spy movie is the greatest. DVD worked perfectly.

Thats all.

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Great movie

Bought this for my dvd collection.

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Spy game

I like this movie because its so good
I'm glad to add it to my collection

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