Black Bag
12 7.8/10
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Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is the latest slick, stylish thriller from the acclaimed director, this time following a group of espionage agents as they attempt to uncover which of them is secretly selling information to their enemies. The film’s unique selling point, however, is that two of these central characters are husband and wife. With fierce lead performances from Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, Black Bag is a record-breaking thriller that constantly pays homage to the classic spy movies to come before it.
Soderbergh’s style of filmmaking is reliably captivating, and that’s no different in Black Bag. The way he effortlessly weaves these characters’ stories together in such personal and intimate ways, all while maintaining a narrative of global importance in the background, is nothing short of staggering. Although he manages to wrap everything together neatly in Black Bag’s ending, the film will surely have audiences itching to find another movie that can fill the same hole.
10 Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
Directed By Doug Liman
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
PG-13
Action Comedy Documentary Romance Thriller- Release Date
- June 7, 2005
- Runtime
- 120 minutes
- Director
- Doug Liman
- Writers
- Simon Kinberg
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
RENT
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Best known as the first collaboration between Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Mr & Mrs Smith is an underrated entry in the espionage genre that tells the story of a married spy couple whose new top-secret mission requires them to kill each other. Much like Black Bag, it’s a film about the blurred line between love and duty, examining how far these individuals will bend their moral compasses to protect the people they love. It’s a much more comedic outing than Black Bag, but it deals with many of the same themes in an equally slick and absorbing way.
Related
ScreenRant interviews Black Bag stars Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Marisa Abela, Regé-Jean Page, and Naomie Harris about the spy thriller.
9 The Killer (2023)
Directed By David Fincher
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The Killer
R
Action Adventure Crime
8/10
7.3/10
- Release Date
- November 10, 2023
- Runtime
- 118 Minutes
Cast
-
Michael Fassbender
-
Tilda Swinton
The Killer is rarely considered among David Fincher’s best movies, but it’s still an excellent thriller that perfectly examines the cold and calculated behaviors that are needed to be a killer. The film boasts an excellent performance from Michael Fassbender, who brings much of the same enigmatic stoicism to his character in Black Bag - both are figures who must put their emotions aside to ensure perfect results in their work, though Fincher’s protagonist is much less likable than Soderbergh’s. The film features some excellent cinematography, creative visual choices, and a brilliant soundtrack.
8 No Sudden Move (2021)
Directed By Steven Soderbergh
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No Sudden Move
R
Crime Thriller Drama 7/10
- Release Date
- July 1, 2021
- Runtime
- 115 minutes
Cast
-
Noah Jupe
-
Craig muMs Grant
No Sudden Move almost feels like Soderbergh’s trial run for Black Bag; the film is a sharp, stylish thriller that uses its ensemble cast and witty dialogue to place the audience directly into this criminal endeavor and figure out the mystery at the center. It’s a very tight and fast-paced story that begs the audience’s attention at every turn, taking the viewer through a complex web of crime and conspiracy that centers around one man’s decision to steal from his employers to protect his family.
7 Sicario (2015)
Directed By Denis Villeneuve
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Sicario
R
Action Crime Thriller 9/10
37 9/10
- Release Date
- September 17, 2015
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
Cast
-
Benicio Del Toro
Alejandro Gillick
-
Emily Blunt
Kate Macer
Denis Villeneuve’s breakthrough feature may not be as epic as something like Dune, nor as groundbreaking as films like Arrival, but it opts instead for a more naturalistic approach that immerses the audience in a very specific narrative. The story focuses on Emily Blunt’s ambitious FBI Agent as she attempts to bring down a criminal empire operating on the southern border of the USA. Sicario has a fantastic ending that forces the audience to contemplate the real-world implications of the story they’ve just watched, asking important questions about crime and national security - just like Black Bag.
6 Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Directed By Tomas Alfredson
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Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
R
ThrillerHistorical
8/10
- Release Date
- September 16, 2011
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
Cast
-
Gary Oldman
-
Benedict Cumberbatch
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is based on John le Carre’s high-stakes crime novel of the same name, which explores the attempts of one retired British spy to uncover an undercover agent within their ranks. It has much of the same “whodunnit” atmosphere that makes Black Bag such an engaging watch, inviting the audience to figure out which of the film’s characters is harboring secrets alongside Gary Oldman’s protagonist. Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan’s screenplay does an excellent job of revealing just enough information to keep the film exciting without ever making the answer too obvious.
5 Bridge Of Spies (2015)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
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Bridge of Spies
PG-13
Thriller Documentary Drama 5/10
7/10
- Release Date
- October 16, 2015
- Runtime
- 142 Minutes
Cast
-
Alan Alda
-
Mark Rylance
Of all Spielberg’s films made in the 21st century, Bridge of Spies certainly feels the most familiar to the filmmaker’s classical style. Adapted from Giles Whittell’s acclaimed book of the same name, Bridge of Spies is set during the Cold War and tells the turbulent story of an American lawyer who is called upon to exchange a Russian prisoner with KGB soldiers in their home territory. It’s a very tense and unpredictable story that’s filled with twists from start to finish, with Tom Hanks’ lead performance holding everything together in ways that only Hanks can do.
4 Rope (1948)
Directed By Alfred Hitchcock
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Rope
PG
Thriller Crime Drama7/10
- Release Date
- August 26, 1948
- Runtime
- 81 minutes
Cast
-
James Stewart
-
John Dall
It’s difficult to compare any film to Black Bag without first mentioning Alfred Hitchcock, whose works were seemingly an enormous influence on Steven Soderberg’s latest project. The recent thriller has much of the same tight, compact storytelling and richly developed characters that made Hitchcock’s works so enjoyable, and 1948’s Rope may be the finest example. The film takes place moments after two friends have killed a man and hidden his body in their home, following them as they attempt to protect their secret during an unpredictable dinner party with friends.
3 The Conversation (1974)
Directed By Francis Ford Coppola
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The Conversation
PG
Drama Crime Documentary Mystery Thriller- Release Date
- April 7, 1974
- Runtime
- 113 minutes
Cast
-
Gene Hackman
-
John Cazale
-
Allen Garfield
-
Frederic Forrest
The Conversation is one of the most inventive and groundbreaking stories in Francis Ford Coppola’s filmography, telling the story of a mundane surveillance agent who is assigned a case that quickly takes a dark turn. When he accidentally stumbles into a murder conspiracy, Gene Hackman’s Harry Caul must weigh up his loyalties to his profession with his burning moral compass, knowing he can prevent needless bloodshed. The film deals with many of the same moral dilemmas as Black Bag, weaving them together with a complex character arc that makes The Conversation one of Francis Ford Coppola’s best movies.
2 Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Directed By Steven Soderbergh
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Ocean's Eleven
PG-13
Thriller Crime 8/10
8.2/10
- Release Date
- December 7, 2001
- Runtime
- 116 minutes
Cast
-
Brad Pitt
-
Don Cheadle
Ocean’s Eleven is the film that really transformed Soderbergh into a household name in the film business, turning what easily could’ve been a darkly familiar thriller into something completely unpredictable and relentlessly entertaining. The film constantly keeps the audience at a distance, using the charming characters to distract them from the details of the plot, just to make those huge third-act reveals even more effective. It’s the golden standard of the “show don’t tell” rule of filmmaking, and that’s something that Soderbergh has carried forward into the rest of his career before (and including) Black Bag.
1 Casino Royale (2006)
Directed By Martin Campbell
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Casino Royale
PG-13
Action Adventure Crime Thriller 8/10
48 8.6/10
- Release Date
- November 14, 2006
- Runtime
- 144 minutes
Cast
-
Daniel Craig
-
Eva Green
James Bond is likely the first name that comes to mind when considering fictional spies in cinema, and for good reason. Bond is a perfect example of how to make a timeless hero that audiences can relate to, and this has never been stronger than in Casino Royale. Martin Campbell’s soft reboot of the Bond franchise introduces Daniel Craig as immediately one of the best actors to play James Bond, and this story is filled with shocking moments that remind viewers exactly what kind of storytelling tricks are possible when the audience is constantly one step behind.
Related
I Think I Need Multiple Viewings Of Black Bag To Fully Understand The Plot After That Ending
Those seeingBlack Bagin theaters won't want to miss a single second of Steven Soderbergh & David Koepp's whip-smart and sharply paced spy thriller.
Black Bag is clearly inspired by spy movies like Casino Royale, with Fassbender’s charmingly cold lead performance even paying homage to stoic heroes like James Bond at times. The overarching narratives of global terrorism and international conflict are also strikingly similar, and both projects even have the seductive romance to hold everything together. Casino Royale is slightly more action-packed than dialogue-driven films like Black Bag, but the latter certainly feels like it owes something to the former.
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Black Bag
8/10
12 7.8/10
- Release Date
- March 14, 2025
- Director
- Steven Soderbergh
- Writers
- David Koepp
Cast
-
Cate Blanchett
-
Michael Fassbender
