After the fire blaster and crackling opening of the FRIENDS the reunion aired of Thursday 28 May 2021. Next in line are the highly anticipated spy films.
In anticipation of the show, let’s take a look at some of the best spy/intelligence films
The Bourne Identity
The first film of the Jason Bourne series, The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon is one of the most popular spy films of all time. A man wakes up with his memory completely wiped. When he gradually starts remembering, he realises he is an intelligence officer. Unbeknownst to him, he had grave danger ahead of him. The hit film paved the way for The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Legacy and Jason Bourne.
Argo
Director and lead star Ben Affleck won the Best Picture Oscar for this film in 2013. Based on an extraordinary true story, Argo is often quoted as one of the most acclaimed intelligence films. Tony Mendez, an intelligence officer goes undercover as a Hollywood producer to save six Americans held hostage in Tehran, Iran. Argo saw some amazing performances from Affleck, Alan ARkin, Clea Duvall, Victor Garber, Bryan Cranston and others. Despite its darker tones, Argo is entertaining to watch.
Bridge of Spies
Steven Spielberg’s 2015 film Bridge of Spies was based on an unlikely true story of an American lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks), who defended a KGB agent Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) in court. This decision then led him to work with the CIA to exchange Abel with an American pilot. This Cold War-era film is full of twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Atomic Blonde
Charlize Theron has never given a bad performance, but with Atomic Blonde she pushed her boundaries to new levels. Theron plays Lorraine Broughton, an elite M16 Agent who goes to Berlin during the Cold War to find a missing list of double agents. The mission is deadly and Broughton has to face a lot of obstacles. Atomic Blonde is for action lovers, with high octane sequences that parallel a John Wick film.
The Courier
The Courier stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Rachel Brosnahan, two actors who have proven themselves to be exceptional in their work. The Courier tells the true story of a British businessman who is recruited by the CIA and MI6 to deliver a package to a Soviet agent during the Cold War. The edge-of-the-seat thriller gives us an insight to the tense situation during the Cold War and the key players that helped de-escalate it.
Salt
Evelyn Salt a CIA agent is on the run after she being accused of planning to assassinate the Russian president. The path to prove her innocence is however more dangerous and complicated than she imagined. The film got rave reviews and was a commercial success. And fun fact, Tom Cruise was initially attached to play Salt, but the film was re-written for Jolie.
Stay tuned for more such content.