The Double (2011)

Directed by: Michael Brandt | 95 minutes | action, crime, drama, thriller | Actors: Richard Gere, Topher Grace, Martin Sheen, Tamer Hassan, Stephen Moyer, Chris Marquette, Odette Annable, Stana Katic, Yuri Sardarov, Ivan Fedorov, Ed Kelly, Jeffrey Pierce, Lawrence Gilliard Jr., Mike Kraft, Andy Manning, Randy Flagler, Ella Maltby, Dan Lemieux, Maxfield Lund, Jimmy Ortega, Darcy Leutzinger, Ele Bardha

The world of international espionage, filled with intrigue, cunning double plays and sometimes cold murders, has always been a welcome source of inspiration for action films and thrillers of all kinds. In ‘The Double’, the mysterious murder of a US senator sets the stage for a journey through the deceptive and trap-filled world of double espionage. The method used points strongly in the direction of the legendary Russian assassin Cassius. However, former CIA agent Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) is certain that he shot Cassius years ago. The murder case and the analogies with the methodical precision that characterize Cassius’s work are reason enough for CIA chief Tom Highland (Martin Sheen) to mothball Shepherdson and become actively involved in the hunt for the killer. He gets help from young FBI agent Ben Geary, who has been deeply involved in the career of the elusive Cassius since his student days. Geary struggles to gain the trust of his veteran partner, but the pair are forced to complete the search for Cassius together. However, Geary turns out to know Cassius a little less well than he initially thought, bringing the legendary Soviet killer closer than Geary could ever have imagined…

Where most directors usually save their most startling plot twists until the final phase, Michael Brandt takes a slightly different, more daring approach in ‘The Double’. After about thirty minutes, the helm is turned in a direction that you as a viewer do not immediately see coming. Initially a successful experiment, which increases the tension and intensity of the film. Slowly but surely this ingenious trick loses its power and ‘The Double’ visibly flattens out, only to really flare up again towards the end. What could have been better is the depth of the characters. Certainly Cassius is really a film character that is developed too superficially, because he turns out to be a much more complex person than just a simple and effective assassin. He is intelligent, cold-blooded, ruthless, cunning and occasionally capable of empathy, a compelling cocktail of conflicting traits that could have made for an interesting character study. Especially the dialogues and the fairly clichéd relationship experienced rot-novice make the interaction between Gere and Grace, except for a few scenes, not nearly as exciting as it could have been. The supporting, largely one-dimensional characters also add very little to the film, with the Eastern European crooks in particular being portrayed in a very stereotypical way. The action scenes and liquidations, on the other hand, are done well, with a lot of speed and quite believable, making the more action-rich parts of ‘The Double’ definitely worth watching. The second major plot twist, in the final phase, is a lot weaker and more unbelievable than the first and therefore significantly less effective.

In the end a film is left that, despite a very strong middle part, cannot convince across the board. The acting performances are not memorable enough for that and many dialogues and scenes are simply a bit too flat and uninspired. A solid action thriller, but not one that leaves an unforgettable impression.