Dry spy

Rating: 7/10 (18 April 2010)

For realistic spy film lovers, SHEPHERD delivers. For James Bond-style film fans, it likely will be a colossal bore. Matt Damon is career CIA agent in the early days of the agency. The film plays out like a Graham Greene story, as we follow Damon through the years, with the story not always being told in linear fashion. The director (DeNiro) has surrounded Damon with several big-name stars including Alec Baldwin, Angelina Jolie and DeNiro himself. Damon is fine, but the film goes on too long. And again, it will appeal mainly to a certain audience segment, the kind that cherishes a film like THE THIRD MAN or THGE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD. All others, beware. I sat through most of this purposefully dry espionage epic and gave it a decent rating, although I will admit I am more of a Jason Bourne film fan.