ThiefHott Too much of everything

SteinMo What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Brennan Camacho Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

lchaia Near the end of Christopher Hampton's spot-on adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 1907 novel The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale, the tone of the film abruptly changes. For most of the film, Hampton's vision of late 19th London is suffocating. The camera moves from one confined space to another - the studio and shop of the eponymous hero and his wife, pubs, a government official's small office. Even the street scenes induce a bit of claustrophobia. There is a Dickens-like bleakness. It feels as if it could have, and perhaps should have, been filmed in black-and-white. The sudden change takes you by surprise, At first, it seems as if the film had taken a leap in time -- and all that careful staging of Conrad's London was for naught. But soon comes the realization that some of the greatest moments in film are both powerful and subtle. The pastel colors of a sunrise are tragically ironic. All that lifelessness that came before now means so much more in the context of the one character in the novel and movie who seems know about the value of life. Conrad's novel was not well received when it was first read -- and probably misunderstood. The aesthetics of Conrad's prose has few rivals in all of literature, but some may find hid storytelling to be dense at times. This 1996 film version also had its detractors-- but don't be misled. This is a film that has a lot of substance, and Conrad's prose seems to flow effortlessly at times from page to screen. Like the novel, the film has much resonance today. But if you're looking for a 21st century hyperbolic action film, this may not be the one for you. One final note: Robin Williams is not credited for his role, even though he has as important, at least, a role as Gerard Depardieu. If you doubt his ability as a serious actor, this small role may upset that particular conviction.

Weredegu Whoever cares about international terrorism? It's just a boring subject, let's face it. Any objections? Well, I can understand if there are some. This film, however, might unexpectedly make you accept the truth of the above provocative statements. At least until the next time you zap to a TV news channel that is.It's hard not to see awesome potential in doing an adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 'The Secret Agent'. And it's hard to believe such a boring and inconsequential mess could be created following up on that very idea. Incredible, just think of the following issues explored in the movie: a web of anarchist militants finding political refuge in 1880s London, an agent provocateur run by the Russian embassy, a would-be suicide bomber, human drama complicating plots and counter-plots and so on. If I managed to excite you a little by mentioning these themes, so sorry, the film will still be boring.To say something positive, at least it's not altogether unwatchable and, totally unexpectedly for me, the scenes between two actors from whom I would have normally anticipated the least were actually some of the best moments of the film, the scenes between Robin Williams and Gérard Depardieu, both playing anarchists with a rather mysterious (anarchic?) mindset. Oh, and it's quite likely I'll read the book after all, for what I have seen at least was enough to convince me that it might be a good idea.

bob the moo London in the late 19th Century is a haven for all manner of political exiles. Verloc is an anarchist who has spent years in the employment of the Russian Government as a spy while also providing information to the London police. When Vladimir, the new Russian ambassador demands that Verloc start to prove his worth by bombing selected targets. Without a choice but to act, Verloc starts in motion a chain of events that will end with a bombing but hurt himself and his family in the process as it is only a matter of time before the police can find him – unless his "colleagues" can silence him first.Although the plot is fairly enjoyable, it is the delivery of the film that somehow stops it being anything more than interesting. The simple tale shuns the political detail that could have come and centres on the emotional drama around Verloc and his family, but it doesn't totally succeed in doing this to the point where it is enough to make the film work. The construction is good enough; Verloc's position is quite tense and the consequences had the potential to be quite impacting but it somehow never becomes as interesting as the material suggests it would. Part of this is the delivery, that is a bit uneven and unsure of itself but the most obvious weakness is the acting.Hoskins does as well as he can, but spread over the uneven material he comes over as a bit unsure of what he is meant to be doing. Regardless though, he is a big part of me sticking with the film as his character is effective. Of course, sharing his scenes with Arquette can only serve to make Hoskins look like a master of his trade in the same way that Arquette's make her look like some talentless waitress who was sleeping with the director (not that she was of course). Her accent is terrible of course, but this is only one failing in a performance that is wooden, emotionless and totally unconvincing. Support from Depardieu, Broadbent, Izzard, Bale and others adds colour and the impression of depth but none of them really work that well – Broadbent and Izzard in particular seem to add a slight comic touch that doesn't really fit. Williams has a small role but it is effective and memorable – just a shame that he seems to almost be in an entirely different film from the main narrative.Overall this is an OK film that is interesting enough to be worth seeing but it is hard to shake the feeling that nobody was totally sure what to do with it and the end result shows an uneven hand on the tiller. Hoskins helps it but Arquette is pitiful and the famous support cannot make up for her being so bad in so central a role.

dot-20 "I have no future, but I am a force," says the Robin Williams character, minutes before he completes his mission. A chilling glimpse into the mind of the fanatic. Superb performances by almost everyone (Eddie Izzard does the most unconvincing accent since the last time John Malkovich played an Englishman), a great score by Philip Glass, and the last five minutes will freeze your blood. (Two Academy Award winners here, and neither of them is Bob Hoskins -- what is wrong with those people in Hollywood?)