By John Corrado
Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag, the director’s fun, sexy spy movie, is now arriving on Blu-ray following a run in theatres earlier this year. I reviewed the film during its theatrical run, so you can read my full thoughts on it here. But Soderbergh’s latest is a highly enjoyable little mix of espionage thriller and relationship drama.
The film features an excellent ensemble cast, led by Michael Fassbender as an English spy whose wife and fellow agent (played by a great Cate Blanchett) is suspected of being a mole, drawing two other couples – played by Regé-Jean Page & Naomie Harris and Tom Burke & Marisa Abela – into the mix as well. Pierce Brosnan rounds out the cast as the agency’s head.
As I wrote in my review, “it’s a nifty set-up for a film that has its own bait-and-switch; this is not an action film per se, but rather a marital drama. The spy stuff is just sort of window dressing.” This was obviously a blast to watch in theatres, but will play very well at home on Blu-ray. The engaging performances, coupled with a crackling screenplay, make it worth your time.
Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)
Bonus Features (Blu-ray):
The Blu-ray disc includes a handful of bonus features. The package ships with a standard slipcover.
• Deleted Scenes (Play All – 6 minutes, 25 seconds)
- George and Freddie Have a Chat (1 minute, 54 seconds)
- Anna Calls Kathryn (3 minutes 16 seconds)
- Clarissa Meets With Dr. Vaughan (1 minute, 12 seconds)
• The Company of Talent (10 minutes, 12 seconds): The six main actors discuss their characters, as well as getting to work together, and under the direction of Soderbergh, who also served as his own cinematographer.
• Designing Black Bag (5 minutes, 28 seconds): Looks at the costumes, hair and makeup (including a prosthetic nose for Brosnan), and meticulous production design of the film.
The Joy of Movies 