A potential boring movie, turned into a compelling drama by Cumberbatch

Rating: 8/10 (28 May 2018)

The Imitation Game is a drama about the efforts of Alan Turing (Cumberbatch) to break the Enigma Code, which plays a significant role in ending WWII.
The Imitation Game has the elements to be a boring drama, with standard cliches and some story elements that feel rushed. Turing is portrayed as an autistic person, unable to work with a team and unable to have social relations. So of course a big part of the story is how he creates a relation with his team and future (ex) wife.
Needless to say there are elements of betrayal. Such as Turing ending his relationship because he is gay. Sarcificing soldiers in order to protect their decoding success. And of course the spy who leaks to the Russians. All these parts are rushed and don't add to the story, partially because of historical inaccuracies.
The reason why that doesn't bother the movie, and why I still rate it an 8 is for the simple fact that Benedict Cumberbatch is nothing short of brilliant. Rarely have I seen anyone playing such complex emotion in a person who is unable to emotionally connect. Cumberbatch acts with his body language, words, voice, eyes, stutter, and with compelling silences. Cumberbatch, and Cumberbatch alone is the reason why the movie becomes compelling and interesting from the start to the end.