A good movie would be able to keep a viewer engrossed throughout. I am happy to say that Morten Tyldum's The Imitation Game is one such movie.

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2015)

"What I will need from you now is a commitment. You will listen closely, and you will not judge me until I am finished. If you cannot commit to this, then please leave the room. But if you choose to stay, remember you chose to be here. What happens from this moment forward is not my responsibility. It's yours. Pay attention."
I went into the theatre with high expectations, and left without disappointment. The movie certainly demands the viewer's attention, starting off with a scene of Benedict Cumberbatch subtly breaking the fourth wall by asking the police investigator for his attention, which can also be seen as asking the viewer for his/her attention.
I am fully aware that the movie is not historically accurate – it wasn't made to be. Therefore, I review this movie as if it were never based on a true story.
The movie jumps between flashbacks and the present (1950s) to portray Alan Turing's life, instead of telling it all in a linear fashion. To have three different time periods running together in one movie was very effective and coupled with the pace of the film, it was much more so. Kudos to the art department for making the scenes from each time period convincing and different enough from the others to let the viewer differentiate between time periods. I liked how things slowly but surely clicked between the flashbacks as the movie went on, like the reason why Turing had named his machine "Christopher".
Benedict Cumberbatch pulls off his role as Turing extremely well. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since he acts as a super-intelligent sociopath in Sherlock as well, which is basically what the movie portrays Turing to be (without the badassery). I must also commend Alex Lawther's acting as Young Turing, especially the scene where he is told of Christopher's death – a very convincing act. I'll say the same for Keira Knightley's performance as Joan Clarke – she acts her part like a natural. Yet I must say all the actors did their roles well, and their acting felt human.
The tension and suspense created in the film is amazing as well. The few seconds of deafening silence after the machine finally cracks its first code after the build-up was beautiful. The realisation that they cannot save a ship full of civilians though they have the means capable of doing so and the uneasiness of having to make such a decision were both effectively accompanied by silence in the background. The soundtrack in the movie was excellent and supported the film well.
I loved the scope of the film's coverage. The scenes of the war going on and the television footage of the war amidst the solving of the Enigma kept the film engaging, instead of leaving the viewer to imagine the scenes of death and destruction by themselves. This was one of the factors that had me squealing in delight on the inside, as I watched submarines launch torpedoes at unsuspecting Allied ships above and German planes bomb cities below. Granted, the special effects in the movie were not fantastic in these scenes, but they were not the focus of the movie.
The plot twists were appropriate and unexpected – I was constantly filled with tension and suspense. Yes, you may say that plot twists are meant to be such, but that is only when they are done right. For instance, Taken 3 didn't even try. Though the final "plot twist" in that movie was rather unexpected, it was ridiculous. The Imitation Game does it right. The one main plot of Turing helping to solve the Enigma was accompanied well by many sub-plots. The joy-filled moment when they had finally solved the Enigma does not last and leads to a difficult decision on whether to allow the destruction of a convoy ship; everything ultimately leading to a dark end for Turing.
Yes, though based on a true story, the movie does not accurately reflect the true story and is made to be far more dramatic. Indeed, the special effects are rather primitive compared to other movies to date. Yet, The Imitation Game does not fail to impress. It is one of the best spy thrillers I have ever seen to date and leaves viewers with much to think about after leaving the theatre, including a variety of memorable quotes. Go and watch it – it's worth your money.