[critical] THE NOVEMBER MAN

THE NOVEMBER MAN is steeped in influences ; between Jason Bourne and all the commonplaces of the espionage film…

It is the great quality and the large defect of the film. It is nothing more than a product to be effective, but ultra-calibrated and without originality

The story : there is no worse enemy than the one that has formed. Peter Deveraux is a former CIA agent known for her incredible efficiency and a troubled past. Contacted to ensure the protection of Alice Fournier, head of a reception centre for refugees, whose testimony could undermine one of the favorites in the Russian presidential election, Devereaux quickly realizes that he has been handled and that he has become the target of his former pupil, David Mason…

As in a good tv series 00’s (like 24), not generic, Boom ! THE NOVEMBER MAN throws us immediately into the heat of the action. It includes in not even six minutes the importance of each character.

The old invincible know-it-all, all lived… The little kid with long teeth, but nice at the bottom… The characters are extremely characterized, thing, however, fairly standard in this type of film.

The plot is so seemingly complex, but reduced to the final few lines. Everything is quickly explained, of emotions, sometimes mixed of the protagonists, all the ins and outs of the scenario ; and the manipulation inherent to the genre is traceable to 100km, and despite a slight shrug of the eyebrow on the head of all this madness, No real surprise.

The only real shadow box for a scene in the film very offbeat, during which the character of Pierce Brosnan tries to understand the cruelty of the trade at the small young.

Pierce Brosnan also, we (re)plays the spy. A little less class, more brutal. Daniel Craig-ien, tell us. The difference is that it is a film R-rated (no one under 17 years of age) which allows, by violence, a tiny bit more ambivalence to his character.

In front of him, the young Luke Bracey, almost unknown… But unfortunately without real charisma, the image of the rest of the cast, villains included.

The bond charm that is brought by Olga Kurylenko, who recalls it as James Bond (Quantum of Solace).

In short. Everything is reminiscent of something. A lot of Bourne, a little bit of James Bond, video game (Max Payne 3, Splinter Cell)… The film draws its elements in the collective unconscious to never lose the viewer. It is very far from the requirement of the recent A Man much Sought after…

”Despite the appearance already-seen VERY far, THE NOVEMBER MAN proves to be effective. The delivery without much fanfare but adapted to Pierce Brosnan there’s a lot of help !”

The synopsis of the film is, a bunch of shots… The villains are Russian, as often in the heart of the conflict, manipulated of course by the U. S. A. ; the traitor, the character two-face, the twists… it’s All there. Not to mention that any complexity is quickly explained via many details and clarifications, sometimes to the limit of the overdose.

The reflection is reduced to a minimum : the spectator is not to interrogate, but to be entertained !

Moreover, if one needs to retain something of what THE NOVEMBER MAN, it is this :

In addition to a few gimmicks soooo 2010 (sounds of suspense – 24 again, the intertitles spatio-temporal, the zoom/dezooms on the characters and objects that we have to understand that they are still super important…)

Director Roger Donaldson takes up the imagery of the spy thriller in the modern sauce Jason Bourne.

The editing is tight and ultra rhythmic, reaching almost to the level of the famous The bourne ultimatum ‘s Paul Greengrass. Better, he packs his action scenes with a playful and nag rather interesting !

In short, despite his side already-seen, THE NOVEMBER MAN is in the end very effective, helped by the delivery, without much fanfare, but adapted, Pierce Brosnan as well as an ideal balance between action scenes and explanations.

Entertainment autumn.