Spooks: The Greater Good (2015)

Spooks it a tense spy thriller which delivers on everything fans of the series expect.

Spooks: The Greater Good tells the story of Will Holloway (portrayed by Kit Harrington), a former MI-5 agent, who is sent in search of Harry Pearce (Peter Firth), a spymaster who recently disappeared after a bungled operation.  This is the minimum I can say about the movie without spoiling anything, however I still feel like it is too much.

For anyone who expects an action packed spy movie, please think again. This film is all about the cat and mouse games as everyone attempts to work out who is allied with whom. To me, it gives what is possibly one of the most realistic portrayals of being a spy that I can imagine on screen.

Everything about this movie is presented in a matter of fact way, including the fights. The action was not the prettiest, or the best choreographed, but it gave the sense of real people, who have some training, fighting.

This movie is not about Kit Harringtons character, but rather a case study of Harry Pearce, portrayed by Peter Firth. Firth steps back into his role from the TV series and it fits him like a glove. The cold persona has only become icier with time. It makes me want to watch all of his moves intently. As a fan of the tv shows, it felt like putting on a pair of slippers and returning to a forgotten, yet comfortable, routine.

The twists and turns that this movie provides make this a movie where one is genuinely unable to predict what would happen next. Telling the story through the eyes of Kit Harrington's Will Holloway is a clever move as it only helps further the legend of Harry Pearce. This move also allows the viewer to learn about the inner working of the service from an outsiders perspective, making it easier to digest for newcomers to this particular world.

Regarding fan service, this movie had a ton of it, but it remained subtle. Most of the service was fortunately used to help either advance the plot or better develop characters.

The cinematography in this movie was a massive homage to scenery. Every panoramic appears to be a love affair with the area being filmed.

This film is a perfect example of how to transfer a TV show to film in a way that satisfies both fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Number of times I looked at my watch: Zero

Recommendation: If the lack of action bores you, this film may not be for you. A must if you are a fan of the Spooks TV show.

I hope you enjoyed this review, please let me know what other movies you would like me to review.

Have a great day. Looking forward to your feedback.