Great pseudo-translation of a wonderful novel

Rating: 9/10 (1 July 2002)

It is said that the hardest part about translating a good book into a movie is catching the "spirit" of the book. This movie actually manages to capture the spirit of the novel without ever using a single line or scene from the book. Though the basic premise is the same, so much has been altered from the book that it is amazing that the screenplay managed to convey the spirit and feeling of the book so well. This movie was thoroughly entertaining and extremely good on many levels. I would say that this is the best spy/assassin movie that I have seen in many years, and the performances are first rate. Highly recommended.