Black Bag

Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are well-matched in this movie. It was interesting. A good spy story.

Very cool, sophisticated, with clever twists in a script that works and is believable. No elaborate sets or filming locations, no amazing special effects, just a good story.

So Sodering boring. To say this mess of a film is slow misses the point. It's wooden. The AI acting delivers the lines with some characterisation, but no-one bothered to programme any movement. Len Deighton in writing spy novels highlighted how damned dull it could all be. However, he never envisioned anything as boring as this. The reveal at the end could have been any of them, and the black bagged person would have elicited the same dead eyed audience reaction. The best bit...and I mean bit...elements of the polygraph test...but only elements. This is garbage, better suited to the stage, from people who should know better. For avoidance of doubt, it wouldn't work on stage either.

Slow moving and hard to follow. Don't waste your time.

Sleek, dry, stylish. Starts out a little slow and confusing, doesn't explain much explicitly, but makes it obvious as the story arc continues. A very character and dialogue driven spy-based whodunnit. Really enjoyed it.

I’m usually skeptical about spy thrillers because they can feel repetitive, but Black Bag surprised me. It’s got classic espionage tension, but also an emotional core about marriage and trust that makes it unique. The pacing is tight, and I found myself really invested in the characters. Steven Soderbergh rarely disappoints.

Slick and sexy movie of 2025

Soderbergh trades car chases for mind games in Black Bag, a tense, stylish slow-burn that’s less about saving the world and more about saving a marriage. Fassbender is all quiet suspicion; Blanchett, pure controlled fire. Dinner parties have never felt this dangerous. Think Tinker Tailor meets Virginia Woolf—and it works.

The story was hard to follow at times and some of the dialogue was exposition-heavy, but damn if this movie wasn't interesting. Each of the characters had a unique and distinct personality. I particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. It had many thrilling moments/revelations that more than made up for some of the uninteresting dialogue. The music by David Holmes was great too.

Devilishly cleaver! With a small ensemble cast without one weak link, expert design, music, and directing, it’s best aspect may be a screenplay that will have you laughing and squirming on the edge of your seat for the last 30 minutes. The best thriller I’ve seen in years!