‘The Amateur’ Movie Review: Rami Malek Leads a Smart Spy Thriller
- Details
- Category: New Series and Movie Reviews
- Published: Thursday, 10 April 2025 11:36
- Written by Lupe R Haas
THE AMATEUR is a brilliant thriller featuring an unlikely hero, Charlie Heller (Rami Malek), who never fires a shot or takes down the villains with his bare hands. The film is unpredictable, with surprises at every turn. While it requires suspending disbelief that a CIA cryptographer could take on dangerous terrorists, it's worth your attention and money.
THE PLOT
Starring Malek, Rachel Brosnahan, Caitriona Balfe (Outlander), and Laurence Fishburne, the film follows CIA decoder Charlie Heller as he seeks revenge against the foreign terrorists who murdered his wife during a London attack. When his superiors refuse to act, the low-level CIA worker embarks on a dangerous mission to track down the killers using his intelligence. The story is based on Robert Littell’s novel.
Malek makes for an unlikely protagonist against deadly terrorists. Heller is neither slick nor buff; don't expect Jason Statham or Jason Bourne-level action. The scrawny-looking CIA decoder uses his intelligence and high-tech skills to find his opponents, and sometimes he just gets lucky when things don’t go as planned.
A UNIQUE SPY THRILLER
The unique aspect of THE AMATEUR is Heller’s inability to kill someone point-blank, which is his weakness. Instead, his elaborate traps set up his victims to save themselves, but of course, they choose otherwise.
The story is directed by veteran television director James Hawes and pokes fun at spy and action thriller tropes. The badass hero walking away from a huge explosion in the background has become the norm, but here Heller is startled when the sparks fly. The leading man is inept in combat and unable to pull the trigger.
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Brosnahan makes a cameo appearance, serving as mere background rather than a fully fleshed-out character. Fishburne returns to form in an action role as a CIA operative. Caitriona Balfe is the other interesting character, but her role is also short-lived.
CONCLUSION
THE AMATEUR is unpredictable at every turn, and the elaborate and unique traps make it stand out from other movies in the genre.
THE AMATEUR opens in movie theaters on April 11.