Black Bag is the 2nd film to come out this year from director Steven Soderbergh & writer David Koepp after this year’s Presence. The new film stars Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, Pierce Brosnan. When his wife, Kathryn (Blanchett) is suspected of betraying the nation, intelligence agent George Woodhouse (Fassbender) faces the ultimate test of loyalty to his marriage or to his country.

I have been affiliated with the Steven Soderbergh name for as long as I can remember. I still remember when I broke both of my wrists in kindergarten and was bedridden. Don’t ask me why, but I remember wanting to watch Ocean’s 11, which would be the first of many Soderbergh’s films that I would see. Similar to Hitchcock, it feels like he pumps out a new film almost every year. As of late, his films have been geared towards streaming. Luckily, we have been able to witness his films again in theater. So far, this might be the his big comeback since he returned to filmmaking after his semi-retirement. The guy is refreshed and energized, making him the perfect fit to direct this film.

Witnessing original, smaller films feels like a treat nowadays. The newest film has a $50 million budget. It seems modest, but it’s also surprising if the film seeks to get a massive return. In a weekend with competition against 3 other wide-released films, this one would need to make at least $100 million to actually make a good return. So far, it only made $2.8 million in the United States this weekend, which is not great. Unless the film does well overseas, this could be a bomb. I need everyone to go see this, because if this does indeed bomb, we aren’t going to get good original movies like this in the theater again.

I’m not sure how Soderbergh manages to pump out a good movie the way he does. The name recognition surely helps him get in the door no matter what he chooses to pick. I’d say I would prefer Presence over this due to its unique concept and ending, but this comes in a close second place that makes me enjoy the more and more I think about it. When I say we don’t get films like this anymore, we don’t get mature, dialogue-heavy thrillers influenced by the French New Wave like this one is. With as much detail he puts into this, it’s impressive how fast he works.

The film is riveting from start to finish thanks to David Koepp’s competent script. The screenwriter has been writing films for decades. It seems like he went through a lackluster patch in his career, but he has been making quite the comeback lately, showing that he just may be at his best when collaborating with Soderbergh. The film focuses a lot more on the dialogue than I could have ever imagined. The promos make it seem more action heavy, but I don’t mind be subverted like the way I do here. With a healthy 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is clearly already getting a lot of critical acclaim that I hope translates to higher viewership. This may be one of the most important, mature, high-budget movies of the year.

When the film opens up, we get one of the cleanest one-track shots I have ever seen. Soderbergh uses the same camera work used in Presence to help establish the perspective. As we track Fassbender’s character from behind, it’s established that we are also spying in on what is meant to be spy story. It’s a unique concept that’s only elevated more through the film’s lighting style. As you can see from the image below, the film really helps keep the characters in the shadows, showing no one can be trusted.

After 2019’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Fassbender took a break from acting until 2023’s The Killer & Next Goal Wins. That may be surprising since it doesn’t seem that long, but I think our interpretation on time after the pandemic has definitely changed. Fassbender continues to perform like he never left. He is so cunning & precise with his character’s mannerisms here. He is intelligent, but he also cares shown through the love for his wife. There is a specific scene involving him having a panic attack that looked so realistic. Cate Blanchett is the top-billed and she is great, but it’s really Fassbender who takes the lead here with a terrific supporting cast around the two actors.

I really enjoyed the script here. I am a big fan of whenever a script relies on the characters having to talk like they are in action. Soderbergh knows exactly how to bring this script to life. Unfortunately, it can be so fast that the sound design doesn’t quite catch every word. When every word is important, it is vital to understand what’s going on. Also, I think the film could have benefitted from giving Fassbender more characterization to help understand he is and his motives. I don’t mind the lack of characterization for the other characters since we have to be kept in the dark. Since we mostly follow Fassbender, more characterization could have helped connecting with the story more.

Overall, Black Bag is a competent thriller thanks to David Koepp’s dynamic script & Steven Soderbergh’s sharp direction. The cast truly helps bring the film to life through their unique characters. It’s fast paced like a thriller unlike any other modern spy movie. While it can be a little confusing at times, it will keep you stimulated enough that will keep you guessing. I personally can’t wait to watch this again to get new details. They don’t make movies like this before. Due to its low box-office numbers, I am worried it will fail. If that does happen, I hope studios will start to recognize what a proper budget should be.

VERDICT: 4/5 (Great)