MI-5 (SPOOKS: THE GREATEST GOOD)

(director: Bharat Nalluri; screenwriters: Sam Vincent/Jonathan Brackley/based on the television series created by David Wolstencroft.; cinematographer: Hubert Taczanowski; editor: James Pearson; music: Dominic Lewis; cast: David Harewood (Francis Warrender), Kit Harington (Will Holloway), Elves Gabel (Adam Qasim), Peter Firth (Harry Pearce), Tuppence Middleton (June Keaton), Michael Wildman (Robert Vass), Jennifer Ehle (Geraldine Maltby), Tim McInnerny (Oliver Mace), Eleanor Matsuura (Hannah Santo), Lara Pulver (Erin Watts), David Harewood (Francis Warrender); Runtime: 104; MPAA Rating: R; producer: Ollie Madden/ Stephen Garrett; Saban Films; 2015-UK)

“Dreary thriller about British spook.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

The film is based on the now defunct British television series by the BBC. It was created by David Wolstencroft (whose talent is not utilized in the movie). The TV series was launched in 2002 and ran for 10 seasons. The quality British drama formerly aired on A&E, BBC America and PBS in the United States. The movie however is a dreary thriller about British spooks.

Filmmaker Bharat Nalluri (“The Crow: Salvation”/”Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day“), born in India but now UK based, flatly directs this routine story with messy sentimentality and a lack of good action scenes. Terrorist ringleader prisoner Adem Qasim (Elyes Gabel) escapes during a motorcade ambush when British Intelligence attempts to turn him over to the FBI. Sir Harry Pearce (Peter Firth), head of counter-terrorism, fears for the safety of the street bystanders and gives the order to turn him over to the attackers. Harry suspects a mole in MI-5 and to catch the traitor vanishes after faking his death. Will Holloway (Harington) — whom Pearce had decommissioned — is ordered by MI-5 to track him down. Harry was partner to the young Will’s dead father. When the kid locates Harry, he’s convinced to help Harry when he believes the veteran spoof that there’s a traitor among them trying to destroy Mi-5 and London will be attacked by Qasim’s group.

It looked more like ordinary cable TV fare than a movie–just another episode in the series last viewed on TV in 2011.

REVIEWED ON 6/9/2016 GRADE: C+   https://dennisschwartzreviews.com/