I feel like 2025 has been a pretty great year for spy movies. We got the seriously excellent “Black Bag” in March, and the popcorn thrills of “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning” are still delighting audiences in the theatre. But good things often come in threes, and this is no exception.
“The Amateur,” a gripping little action-thriller which arrived in cinemas back in April, perhaps didn’t get the love it deserves. The critical reception was mixed, but I’m here to argue its merits now that it’s finally arrived on premium video-on-demand via platforms including Apple and Amazon.
Starring “Mr. Robot” lead and Oscar-winner Rami Malek, it’s an engaging spy flick very much in the mold of the “Jason Bourne” franchise. However, don’t worry: It’s a cut above Bourne’s most recent secret agent efforts. Plus, it includes one of my favourite action scenes of the year — though sadly, it was completely spoiled in the various trailers, so preview watcher beware!
If you're looking to inject a dose of excitement into your weekend or just want to absorb yourself in a thrilling revenge mission, look to “The Amateur."
What is ‘The Amateur’ about?
Based on the Robert Littell novel of the same name, which was previously adapted into a Canadian movie in 1981, “The Amateur” opens as many action-thrillers do with CIA decoder Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) living a seemingly perfect life with his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan).
When Sarah travels to London, she is murdered in a terrorist attack. Using his own computer wizardry, Charlie identifies those responsible, but is rebuffed by his superiors, and stunned when they refuse to take immediate action. Blackmailing his bosses, he demands to be given expert training at a military base and given a license to hunt down the four assailants himself.
New to the spy game, Charlie finds himself in way over his head as he travels across the globe to find the men who killed his wife. But while he’s no sharpshooter, his knack for outsmarting his enemies soon becomes his greatest weapon on his revenge mission.
‘The Amateur’ is a surprisingly great spy movie
Conceptually, “The Amateur” isn’t breaking new ground. Anybody who has seen 2017’s “American Assassin” might get a sense of deja vu about the whole “man trains as a spy to get revenge for the murder of his girlfriend” narrative, and that’s just one example of the trope. It’s been used in the genre for decades.
But it’s a rich well for storytelling that spy media returns to so often for a reason. It's effortlessly compelling. It’s very easy to immediately get onboard with Charlie’s mission and want to see those responsible for the attack brought to justice. Or at least, what Charlie perceives to be rightful justice.
Some critics were scornful of the movie’s cold tone, but I found it fitting for both Charlie’s detached headspace in the wake of his wife’s death and the morally grey world in which he operates. Even his mentor figure, Henderson (Laurence Fishburne), is far from a wisecracking sidekick. It’s not a movie full of levity, and it doesn’t have to be either. It’s very focused, much like Charlie.
While the portion that sees Charlie trained up to be at least vaguely competent in the field does drag a little, once he flies off to Paris to begin his quest, the pacing quickens, and it doesn’t let up from there.
I said there was no levity, but there is an almost comedic element to his first attempted hit as he bumbles his way through his first stab at things.
As the movie progresses, Charlie becomes more and more skilled in the role, and by the time he confronts one of his wife’s killers at a rooftop pool in Madrid, he’s ruthless. It’s this scene, which sees him execute a well-staged plan that marks the movie’s high point, and it’s a shame its culmination is so thoroughly spoiled in the trailer.
The focus on brains instead of brawn is probably my favorite aspect of “The Amateur.” Charlie quickly realizes he can’t outmuscle his enemies, or outgun them, but he can outmanoeuvre them. This leads to several thrilling sequences when you think Charlie has been backed into a corner, only for him to reveal he was pulling the puppet strings all along.
While the overarching international conspiracy plot does require viewers to suspend their disbelief quite often, the gritty and grounded tone reminds me of the “Jason Bourne” franchise more than the slightly cheesy suave spy escapade you might find in the “James Bond” movies. As somebody who’s always preferred the former (yes, even as a Brit), that’s a win in my books.
Stream ‘The Amatuer’ on PVOD now
“The Amateur” was no flop with critics, but it wasn’t a darling either. It currently holds a 61% score on Rotten Tomatoes, enough for a fresh rating, but only just.
The site’s ‘Critics Consensus’ reads, “Rami Malek is a compellingly unconventional action hero in the otherwise formulaic The Amateur, which dispenses justice with solid execution but a curious lack of emotional stakes.
However, chalk this one up as another case where viewers were impressed than the critics. “The Amateur” holds an 88% score on the RT Popcornmeter.
Some of the user's recent reviews describe it as “perfect,” “thrilling” and “entertaining”. I certainly wouldn't go as far as to label it flawless, but I certainly agree with the latter two statements.
If you enjoy a good spy movie or just can’t get enough of action-thrillers (which seem to be all the rage in the streaming world these days), consider giving “The Amateur” a watch. With a strong leading performance from Malek and some highly suspenseful scenes, it's pretty darn gripping.
Not totally sold on "The Amateur"? Here’s a roundup of all the top new movies arriving on streaming this week, which offers plenty of extra choices with flicks to suit every mood and taste in cinema.
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