Beautifully Dull.

Rating: 4/10 (26 February 2012)

To anyone who hasn't seen this: The spoiler in my review is extremely minimal and doesn't really concern you since you should really, really not watch this movie.
Ladies and gentlemen, the point I will set out to make with this review is quite simple: style does not make up for substance. Or in this case, a lack thereof.
To put it simply, this is easily the most boring film I have ever sat through. That may seem like a generalization and probably even a bit immature, but I am sorry to say it is entirely true, and if you subject yourself to it I am sure you will agree (that or pretentiously tout it as a masterpiece). The actual film itself is beautiful--the direction and cinematography are top-notch, and the costumes and scenery really set the stage for an intriguing look inside the world of international espionage.
But the rest of the film does not deliver.
Now, before I go on, I should mention a few things. I am not a critic. I am a huge fan of movies and I am not cynical about them; I went into the theatre expecting a good time. I like Gary Oldman and I was genuinely excited to see this movie, but I was sadly disappointed.
To begin, the plot is almost non-existent. The only "story" I could derive from the random semblance of endless, plodding scenes was that there was a spy at the top of a British intelligence agency, and then they eventually caught him. And Gary Oldman got his job back, I think. Seriously, that's pretty much it.
The pacing is the real problem though: Constant flashbacks with no indication that it's the past (It may be pandering to show a calendar or some blurry outlines, but you have to tip the audience off somehow), excruciatingly long scenes of dialogue, and pointless cuts to images and shots that the audience has no reason to care about. Why did a poorly rendered, flaming CG owl fly out of the fireplace and get clubbed by a schoolteacher? What point does a scene like that serve? The few jokes and quick shots of gore that are meant to liven up the experience only seem out of place next to long, drawn out scenes of two men staring at each other uncomfortably. There really is nothing interesting going on in this movie. And that is its biggest fault.
Overall I came away feeling very cheated. The acting was good, the direction beautiful and the music was very well done. Really, all the separate parts of this movie are good. Unfortunately a good film really is the sum of its parts and, in this case, it leaves quite a bit to be desired.