Movie review: The November Man
Old spies never die – they just change allegiances, it seems.
HARD MAN. Pierce Brosnan plays a retired CIA agent in The November Man. Picture: Supplied
Former James Bond Pierce Brosnan returns to the cloak-and-dagger scene as a retired CIA agent lured out of a restful existence to get an important contact out of Russia at the request of an old comrade-in-arms.
There is an agreeably complex storyline involving the potential involvement of the Americans in the Chechnyan conflict and enough double-crossing to make viewers dizzy. Within this framework are a number of personal dramas, including Brosnan’s Peter Devereaux being pitted against his agency protege – the pair knowing each other well makes their battle fairly layered – David Mason (Bracey), who is now the CIA’s go-to guy when they need a quick, clean kill.
IN DANGER. Olga Kurylenko gets caught up in an international conspiracy in The November Man. Picture: supplied
Director Roger Donaldson keeps the pace buzzing along in the manner of the better Bourne films, with action set pieces joined by lean passages of narrative. Many viewers will wonder, having perhaps last seen Brosnan crooning (badly) in the Greek isles in Mamma Mia! whether the actor still has what it takes to deliver as a hard-hitting action star.
On this evidence, the answer is a resounding yes. He looks his age but is still in top physical shape. Devereaux is not the sentimental sort. If collateral damage is necessary to afford him an opportunity to escape a tight spot, he has no problem hurting or endangering others. That said, he has a strong sense of integrity, which makes his manoeuvring through some stressful sorties even more complicated than they are to begin with.
The November Man is a triumphant return to form for Brosnan and very entertaining viewing for fans of spy films or action blockbusters like Taken alike.
Info:
> Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey, Olga Kurylenko
> Director: Roger Donaldson
> Classification: 16LSV
