In his second feature of 2025, Steven Soderbergh shows off how deep his Black Bag is, crafting an elaborate mystery around a British intelligence software called Severus being stolen, and Michael Fassbender as George is tasked to find out by who. As one of the top intelligence officers in the game, it should be no problem, but everything twists when all signs point to the culprit being his wife Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett.
This is a mystery that plays out pretty satisfyingly, but at points, it feels like it holds too much back. Black Bag jumps right into the plot, as within minutes of sitting down we find out that Severus is stolen and a list of agents including Kathryn are suspects. If Severus gets out, thousands can die. What is Severus? What do they do for work? The movie slowly drip-feeds the audience information, but as the movie progresses, I feel as if the drip of information does not keep up. It isn’t until the reveal of who stole Severus does it makes sense. Normally, a movie will leave some breadcrumbs along the way that point to who did it, but I didn’t notice anything here. I was already planning a rewatch, but it would’ve been a more satisfying rewatch to go back and see the clues that I had missed. The movie throws a lot of twists at you which makes it an unpredictable ride, but it’s thrilling the entire time.
When I first saw the trailer for this movie, my immediate reaction was, “It’s funny that the point of this movie is how this couple’s marriage is the most important thing in the world, but they cast the two androids in that role.” I didn’t mean that in the derogatory sense, but Fassbender and Blanchett aren’t the types of people who seem to be all lovey-dovey. That was exactly the point of the movie. Multiple times, people ask George how he and Kathryn can make their relationship work and prioritize each other above all else, and he reiterates how it works because they are in lockstep with each other. Even though she says she’d lie to him if she had to, there is an unspoken boundary between them that allows them to carry out their job tasks on each other, no questions asked. They are both extremely calculated and cold when they need to be, making them a perfect match for each other.
The movie is shot and scored incredibly sleek. Soderbergh excels at keeping his movies concise and eliminating the fluff. The opening sequence follows George as he walks through an alley, then levels of a bar and nightclub as he finds his source who tells him about the leak and it is a beautiful unbroken long take. The score is slick and upbeat, matching the tense action unfolding in front of us. Even though there isn’t much action during this movie, it still is incredibly tense and stressful. Everyone is dressed incredibly as well. You can tell the level of detail taken to make each person stand out and it shows.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Black Bag is another successful movie this year for Steven Soderbergh in my eyes. It is incredibly thrilling and visually appealing. The main cast, anchored by Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, give excellent performances all around. I honestly could watch five more sequels in this universe, but for now, go watch Black Bag.
4/5
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I've always been a movie fan, but I first got big into cinema watching Whiplash when I was younger. That movie led to a greater appreciation of films and got me to dive into the medium. My favorite genre is horror movies, but I’ll always have a secret soft spot for rom coms and musicals. When I'm not podcasting or watching movies, I love working out and going hiking, and I currently work in business analytics with the degree I got from Western New England University.
MY FAVORITE MOVIES: Good Will Hunting, Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse, Whiplash, Moneyball, Top Gun: Maverick