Great and yet flawed film

Rating: 7/10 (22 July 2012)

The film has great photography and great understated acting. However, it's hard to follow the large number of characters and fairly complex plot. There's not very much talking, most of the important plot points are introduced visually so you really have to be paying attention to follow what's happening. Also, most of the characters look quite a bit alike: middle-aged white guys in conservative Savile Row suits. From the long shots, it's hard to tell them apart; when you get a shot of someone hacked up and bloody it's hard to tell who it is. I recommend reading the book first, or watching it on DVD while taking notes, because the film is very enjoyable once the plot is clear.
Despite the flaws it is worth watching the film a couple of times if you want to get a real feel for secret service work in the cold war