MI-5

There's a surplus of double-dealings, plot twists and international locales to justify the theatrical treatment.

A film that, like most of its ilk these days, is more interested in action than motivation.

A dreary direct-to-video-grade adventure that should have been terminated before it ever began.

Led by the honorably dour Firth and the charisma-free Harington, MI-5 is convoluted and dull ...

The film passes the time perfectly tolerably, but it is no more comfortable in this less intimate medium than were ancient movie versions of The Sweeney and Callan.

It's nonsense, but there's fun to be had in the endless double-crosses, and fans of the TV show's trademark gruff face-offs won't feel disappointed.

Spooks' pre-exisiting excellence hinders the film somewhat as it struggles to make a cinematic splash; worth watching if you're already a fan, or appreciate fast-paced shenanigans and explosions around London.

Will provide a satisfying experience for all who see it, but perhaps more so with ardent fans of the series. The aesthetic, tone and performances result in a package that sits alongside similar Hollywood fare comfortably.

This is James Bond done by Channel 5, with all the tension and sophistication of the Victoria Beckham kidnap plot.

Making the transition from long-arc TV series to 100-minute feature film is no simple matter, but they've accomplished it with some skill here.