Smokes with bloody execution...

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2015)

Gorgeous cinematography and color work. Gripping performances that are at times startlingly straightforward. Michael Fassbender carries a bleak, deathly weariness in his eyes, broken only in fleeting, manic moments that hint at the man war undid. Both he and Marion Cotillard play their familiar characters in a refreshingly unfamiliar way.
There are more than a few subtle and respectful twists, alterations, or additions to the original text which elevated the film from being mere rote adaptation to being a really good film in its own right. Almost across the board, these directorial touches lend surprising depth to an already rich story. The last third in particular was enrapturing.