Quantum of Solace (2008)

My rating: **
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Mild spoilers
This film is a real disappointment after the excellent Casino Royale. It is forgotten five minutes after walking out of the cinema. Daniel Craig, however, remains first rate and cuts a stylish figure in every scene. He handles himself with exemplary cool and poise and whatever he wears looks fabulous on [...]

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The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

My rating: ***
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Although the film starts off in a gripping and exciting way, the shaky hand held camera and super fast editing are even more in evidence than in the previous film and soon started to give me a headache. These stylistic elements constantly draw attention to themselves at the expense of the [...]

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The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

My rating ****
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This second entry in the trilogy is directed by English director Paul Greengrass. It is well and truly up to the high standard set by the first. I’m glad I saw it on a small screen however, as I find the use of choppy camera movements and editing a bit overwhelming [...]

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The Bourne Identity (2002)

My rating ****
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This is an excellent character driven action spy thriller which races across Europe but spends most of its time in Paris. Although those involved in the production keep repeating in the DVD extras what a new kind of film this is, it actually harks back to the style of 1960s European [...]

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The Counterfeit Traitor (1962)

My rating: ****
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This is one of my favourite World War II spy dramas starring William Holden as a Swedish industrialist coerced into spying for the British during World War II. The film is a fictionalised account of the exploits of a war-time spy Erik Erickson. Holden’s character Erickson is very much on his [...]

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