Sensational

Rating: 9/10 (15 December 2014)

I must be honest, I was in two minds about going to see this movie, as over the years, I have been to see many movies that are based on actual events, only to be left feeling let down and frustrated. I needn't have worried, as The Imitation Game delivers on all fronts. It's a movie that I could easily see again and again and spot something different each time.
It's strange, but I knew nothing about the pioneering mathematician, logician and cryptanalyst Alan Turin, but was aware of the enigma code and the efforts to try and break it. Benedict Cumberbatch is a sensation as Turin, bringing a realism and believability that is often lacking in movies of this nature. I found myself feeling his every emotion as he battles his own demons, the many obstacles that present themselves and the people that want him to fail.
I wasn't convinced by Keira Knightley in the role of Joan Clark, a woman with more on her mind than just helping Turin break the enigma code. I just couldn't embrace as her as usual in this role and I can't put my finger on why that is. I thought the computer was a joy to watch, churning away, searching for the elusive answers that could ultimately shorten the bloodiest war in history. The Imitation Game takes you away from the fighting, the bombs and chaos of the battlefield and tells a fascinating story of a small groups covert efforts to break the Nazis enigma code.
Their chances of success are slim at best with the odds heavily stacked in the Nazis favour.