Rating: 
Summary: Well-done, fast-paced spy thriller with an outstanding cast.
Review: I am not a great action movie fan - but I will watch almost anything associated with Robert Redford, whose "Three Days of the Condor" and "All the President's Men" are among my all-time favorites; as is "A River Runs Through It," his first collaboration with Brad Pitt. So, I figured, with these two in co-starring roles I couldn't really go wrong with "Spy Game"; and I certainly wasn't disappointed.Told from a 1991 perspective - two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when the CIA changed from an agency run by operatives with field experience to one run by "suits" - "Spy Game" flashes back to the cold war, when American politics' overriding goal was to outmaneuver the Russian-controlled communist block; although Middle Eastern politics eventually did add more complexity. (Shot before, but released after September 11, 2001, as director Tony Scott and producers Douglas Wick and Marc Abraham note on the DVD's commentary tracks, the WTC attack had some effect on the editing process). The story begins with CIA operative Tom Bishop (Pitt)'s capture during an unauthorized rescue attempt in a Chinese prison, resulting in his former supervisor Nathan Muir (Redford)'s summons, on his last day in office, to a meeting of the agency's top brass, for an account of their operations between 1975 (their first meeting in Vietnam) and 1985 (their last operation in Beirut). However, already tipped off to Bishop's capture by an old confidant in the U.S. embassy in Hong Kong, as Muir gives his report his suspicion is quickly confirmed that his information won't be used to save Bishop but to construe a reason to let the Chinese execute him. So it is left to Muir, several thousand miles away, to come to his former protege's aid; and in so doing, break all his rules of survival: Put away some money to retire in a warm spot, never touch that money for anyone, never risk your life or career for an outsider, and if an agent goes "off the reservation" (engages in an unauthorized operation), don't go after him trying to pull him out. Of course, most of this has been done before; in the aforementioned Redford movies, countless other celluloid tales of the past 50 years and the novels of writers who have built entire careers on this kind of material, from John le Carre to Tom Clancy and Frederick Forsyth. But "Spy Game" was directed by Tony Scott, who, like his brother Ridley, has already left his mark on the genre (see "Enemy of the State" and "Crimson Tide") and, with his arts and advertising background, understands that action movies are about visuals at least as much as about plot and character development: weak editing and camerawork will sink an action thriller as assuredly as weak acting. And Scott's direction is spot-on, in his choice of camera angles, movement and even coloring (providing every chapter with a unique color scheme), as well as his editing, so fast-paced that there are several details you only pick up on in your second or third viewing. Even in the largely static scenes in the CIA conference room, thanks to numerous small tricks, great dialogue and a cast of outstanding actors - including Stephen Dillane as Muir's intra-agency opponent Harker and Larry Bryggman as CIA vice-director Folger - Scott never loses the viewer's interest. I do have a few issues with "Spy Game" - leaving aside that, as in most spy flicks, there are some sequences where I have to suspend just a bit too much of my disbelief (like the East Berlin sequences of the operation used to set up American mole Anne Cathcart [Charlotte Rampling] and parts of Muir's rescue operation for Bishop), I think it is a pity that a director/producer team otherwise so focused on authenticity didn't realize how many people would remember Robert Redford's looks in films like the above-mentioned ones, i.e. from the mid-1970s, coinciding with this movie's Vietnam and Berlin episodes; for although Redford has definitely gained in class and authority with his growing number of facial lines, which well behoove Tom Bishop's mentor, arguably there should have been at least some visible age difference between Muir's 1975 and 1991 looks. And just as an aside, from a native Berliner: Guys, much as I applaud your choice to substitute nightly Budapest streets for those of cold-war East Berlin, you shouldn't also have filmed the rooftop scene there, because neither the city's overall look nor its topography pans out to those who actually knew Berlin then. (Not to mention the "vopos"' obvious Hungarian accents and a few other details I won't go into here.) But overall this movie is certainly a cut above the rest of its class, due to great directorial work as much as that of Redford, Pitt and Catherine McCormack as Elizabeth Hadley, the woman who finally comes between them in Beirut: Redford as the inscrutable, controlling master spy - whose past is, unlike in the original screenplay, kept suitably ambiguous -, Pitt as the young gun, aptly codenamed "Boy Scout," who is not above exploiting "assets" for an operation's sake but does fall in love with the wrong woman at last, and McCormack as the tough, no-frills activist whose feelings for Bishop ultimately endanger not only him but also herself. - Last but not least, Harry Gregson-Williams's soundtrack deserves special mention: With an excellent blend of classic rock tunes (Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" and Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms" ... where are these on the soundtrack CD???) and a score alternating between middle eastern and Asian melodies, a boy soprano (Bishop & Hadley's love theme) and techno grooves, it is always in tune with the action and provides a perfect frame for the movie's voyage from Langley to Vietnam, Berlin, Beirut and China. This may not be one of film history's all-time greatest moments - but it is a well-crafted thriller and definitely worth watching if you're looking for some action.
Rating: 
Summary: Best espionage thriller since "Enemy of the State"
Review: "Spy Game" is probably the best espionage thriller since "Enemy of the State". It is an incredible blend of international intrigue, action and some of the most realistic spy craft I've seen in a movie in a long time. Make no mistakes, this is no James Bond flick. This could be the most real-to-life story you'll never hear about. Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt) is a CIA operative who goes rogue in the field, running a risky rescue mission to free a British national from a Chinese prison. When the mission fails, Bishop is tried as a common criminal, found guilty and sentenced to execution. With a major U.S.-Chinese trade agreement in the making, the CIA decides to wash its hands and sweep this one under the rug. Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) is on his last day at the Agency when he is tipped off about Bishop's capture. With less than 24 hours before Bishop's execution and the highest levels of the CIA working against him, Muir puts everything he has on the line to save the life of the man he recruited, trained and worked with from Vietnam to Beirut.
Rating: 
Summary: Unwatchable DVD - Do NOT Buy!
Review: "Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired" cannot be turned off, making watching this movie so annoying I could not make it past the first 10 minutes. I did a search on Google and found this is a known problem! Do NOT buy this DVD unless you always watch "Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired" turned on. (I did not buy my copy at Amazon.com, so not sure if the one sold here has the same problem or not... mine was part of a two DVD set at Walmart).
Rating:
Summary: Spy Game-A Great Thriller
Review: Spy Game, starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt was a great movie. It was a cleverly written and quite sophisticated.
Tony Scott's directing was prodigous and really blossomed. Robert Redford's acting still was marvellous and amazing. As for Brad Pitt, he acted reasonably, actually fairly better than his other terrible roles which were basically flops, but anyway here's the plot.
Robert Redford play CIA Operative Nathan Muir, his protege, Tom Bishop played by Brad Pitt has been captured and his arrested for espionage. On the day of Muir's intened retirement, Bishop plans to be executed. Muir has 24 hours to try and rescue him but Muir's assisants make him debrief them on his own personal experiences and history with the rogue spy. From here, Muir must fight the system which he knows to well to rescue and liberate his friend. He must work under the table, secretly, surreptiously and cleverly in order to help his friend survive. He is being held in Hong Kong, as a prisoner and is being tortured and agonized. Muir must act quickly in the next 24 hours, or else his friend will be executed at 8 o'clock as scheduled. Can Muir save his friend before it's to late?
Spy Game is rated R for Language, Some Violence and Brief Sexuality. A tolerable choice for teenages, perhaps on a range from 14 and above. The film features some good action with a well choreographed helicopter chase and a few other good sequences as well as beatifully film footage from Hong Kong to the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia. A good choice for mature audiences, who know how to think and contemplate. Now available to own on Video & DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Spy Game- A True Spy Film
Review: Spy Game, a true espoinage thriller with great action seqeunces and good acting a cleverly, written sophisticated plot.
Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, star and Director Tony Scott (Enemy of the State) directs amazingly.
Brad Pitt plays Tom Bishop, a CIA operative who is arrested for commiting espoinage, and the only man who can save his life is Nathan Muir played by Robert Redford. Brad Pitt is taken by the Chinese Government where he is tortured and must tell of his secrets or what he knows. He is planned to be executed on the day of Robert Redford's retirement, because he plans to retire from the CIA. Muir superiors search for an excuse t o publicly disavow the rogue spy and so Muir is forced to debrief them on his own history with the young agent. Meanwhile, under the table, Muir works the system he knows only too well to free his friend.
I must say for not being a big fan or liking Brad Pitt, his acting was fairly reasonable in this movie, it was actually a lot bettter than decent. Robert Redford's character was quite terrific, the film was simply terrific. Spy Game is rated R for Language, Some Violence and Brief Sexuality, which is hardly anything. Just some mild sexual innuendo. Acceptable for high-schoolers and maybe even some mature preteens. Spy Game a true thriller which works on its own terms, Tony Scott is a brilliant director his movies really make you think and contemplate. A film worth owning, espeically on DVD, I prefer the Widescreen version. It truly is better and creates a better effect, visually to be specific. The sound is shocking and amazing, especailly if you have DTS. The DVD is also loaded with hours of extra features, from Behind-the-Scenes,Commentaries,a trailer,
DVD-ROM features, CIA Operative files and much more. Own this DVD, because it truly is worth your money and time. Get Spy Game, available to own on VIdeo and DVD, April 9.
Rating:
Summary: A Taut, Suspenseful Thriller!
Review: Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) is finally ready to retire. He has spent his life working for the CIA as a top-secret spy and has trained many of the young spies currently working for the CIA. He has never let any of them get to him - until Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt). Nathan and Tom parted on less than amicable terms, but when Nathan hears that Tom has been captured in China and is scheduled to be executed the next day for espionage, he knows he has to do something. Nathan manages to maneuver himself into the group investigating Tom's capture and Nathan discovers that Tom was not on a CIA mission when he was captured - he went rogue. While the committee pumps Nathan for information regarding Tom and their relationship, Nathan realizes that the CIA has no intention of claiming Tom and are planning on sacrificing him for a better relationship with China. Nathan strings the committee on as long as he can to try and decide what he can do to help Tom because he knows exactly why Tom was in China - and Nathan is the one who gave her to them... Spy Game was a very suspenseful film that caught my attention from the first moment and didn't let go. I thought that Robert Redford's portrayal of Nathan Muir was riveting and quite interesting in terms of his CIA involvement. Brad Pitt was also very able in his role as Tom Bishop, a young spy struggling to maintain his distance from those people that he was spying on. The supporting cast was also very good and they really fit into the parts well. Director Tony Scott did a wonderful job in using flashbacks to show Nathan and Tom's relationship all the way from their beginnings in Vietnam to their falling out in the Near East. Many directors who use flashbacks just end up disrupting the film and you feel like they don't really fit, but every flashback was used to illustrate a character trait in both Nathan and Tom so that, by the end, you knew exactly what motivated both characters and why they were doing what they did. I also really liked the short time frame that the movie dealt with - one day! I was really on pins and needles by the end to see what, if anything, was going to happen. If you are looking for a good spy film, or just like Robert Redford or Brad Pitt, this is well worth your time to check out!
Rating:
Summary: I Spy
Review: SPY GAME is pretty good thriller that has solid performances and enough intrigue to keep you entertained. CIA Agent Tom Bishop (Brad Pitt is captured while on a secret mission and sentenced to die within 24 hours. Now, Bishop's boss and mentor, Nathan Muir (Robert Redford) must do battle with enemies abroad and at home in order to stage a rescue. The film opens with Bishop's capture and the rest of the movie is told at the end of the Cold War, in 1991 and using flashbacks prior to '91 The flashbacks explore the friendship of the 2 agents and how Bishop got captured. Directed by Tony Scott, the flick has a few twists, but it is really the team of Pitt and Redford is its main focus. The action is well staged and executed. The rest of the cast is good but gets overshadowed by the " Dynamic Duo" I had some trouble buying the relationship between Pitt and lover Catherine McCormack but I can let ithat slide. The flashback device never gets tired and is used effectively in the film. The resolution of the film is very reminiscent of a few other spy films but I still liked SPY GAME well enough to buy it. The DVD has a nice assortment of extras that are entertaining. The extras cover much of what you would expect for a "Collector's Edition" The commentary tracks are pretty good from Scott and others but both lag from time to time. There are a few deleted/different scenes, including an alternate ending to compare and contrast. The DVD has a feature that allows the viewer to access production info while watching the film This option is similar to DVDs in the infinifilm series by New Line. All in all not bad, a must if you like spy thrillers a rent for all others
Rating:
Summary: Great Thriller, practically flawless
Review: Wow, what's NOT to like in this tightly-directed, smart spy thriller? Certainly not Brad Pitt, who plays Viet Nam vet, ex-boyscout, erstwhile trained assassin who doesn't shy at doing wetwork while agonizing about the fate of his "assets" or contacts in the field. And a great performance from Robert Redford as Nathan Muir, who is about to retire as a CIA agent, but has plenty of game left in him on his last day at work. The supporting cast is mostly unknowns who do a superb job as CIA flacks, and the plot is full of twists, turns and yet is logically laid out. The tension builds nicely at the beginning, and though this is a longish film (2 1/2 hours) it carries the tension well and never, ever drags. I enjoyed this film for the fact that nothing really was telegraphed as to outcome, though we almost see the film in full circle from beginning to end. A fine effort by Pitt, Redford and most of all, Tony Scott. Highly Recommended. JLD
Rating:
Summary: A Stupid Movie
Review: A stupid movie! Only a Joke! Never buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Unwatchable DVD - Do NOT Buy!
Review: "Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired" cannot be turned off, making watching this movie so annoying I could not make it past the first 10 minutes. I did a search on Google and found this is a known problem! Do NOT buy this DVD unless you always watch "Closed Captioning for the Hearing Impaired" turned on. (I did not buy my copy at Amazon.com, so not sure if the one sold here has the same problem or not... mine was part of a two DVD set at Walmart).
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