Black Bag Review
Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag, his second film of 2025, is a slick, stylish spy thriller that blends the intrigue of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with the playful chemistry of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. However, rather than delivering a full-throttle action-packed spectacle, Soderbergh crafts a more cerebral, methodically paced film – one that thrives on tension, wit, and precise filmmaking.
His third collaboration with screenwriter David Koepp in as many films, Black Bag is a deceptively simple story, but tightly written and structured. It follows legendary spymaster George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) hunting a mole within the intelligence agency he serves. The crinkle is, one of the suspects is his wife, Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) herself an accomplished field agent. What ensues is a taut game of cat and mouse, with George attempting to catch Kathryn in a lie while simultaneously investigating the other suspects.
Fassbender delivers an impressively restrained performance, playing George with the same precision as his Zen-like assassin in The Killer (a film Soderbergh reportedly ghost-edited). In many ways, the character feels like a younger George Smiley – dry, impassive, and controlled, they even share a first name! Soderbergh has praised Fassbender’s ability to play George’s “interiority” and it’s the perfect way of describing his performance – it’s not that George is emotionless, he’s just learned to master his emotions, and beneath his impassive exterior, Fassbender allows small cracks of vulnerability to show without ever overplaying his hand.
Opposite him, Cate Blanchett is the embodiment of elegance and precision in spy-craft, exuding professionalism while maintaining an air of ambiguity. Her interactions with George are calculated and enigmatic, a tricky needle to thread without feeling unnatural, yet Blanchett navigates it flawlessly. She remains sympathetic while ensuring the film’s central tension remains razor-sharp.
In another case of a film being misrepresented by the promotional material, Black Bag is a lot more cerebral – and funny – than the action-packed trailer suggests, and it’s all the better for this. It’s also more of an ensemble piece than a straightforward two-hander between Fassbender and Blanchett. The four other suspects – played by Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, and Regé-Jean Page – are each given substantial depth and screentime – a marked contrast to similar films where these characters are often an afterthought. The film itself is bookended by two dinner scenes involving all these characters, both of which are supremely tense, and serve as masterclasses in writing and performance.
Of the supporting cast, it’s a pleasure to see Pierce Brosnan in a spy film again, though he’s been promoted since last we saw him – he’s game for his role but he’s somewhat underutilized – he could have benefited from a few more scenes to flesh out his character beyond the archetypal gruff boss. In contrast, Tom Burke proves to be an adept scene-stealer, his dry wit and laconic delivery making him an instant standout. Meanwhile, Marisa Abela is a revelation, bringing a sharp, cutting sense of humour and refreshing candour to the world of espionage.
And this is where the title comes in: not a mission or a McGuffin, but rather an internal term within the intelligence service, used to deflect questions, avoid explanations, and keep secrets buried. This idea is central to the film’s thematic core, particularly in one standout scene where Abela’s character delivers a wonderfully performed speech about the impossibility of maintaining romantic relationships in their profession. When any uncomfortable question can be dismissed with the phrase Black Bag, it’s easy to see how trust erodes. It’s a get out clause that covers any number of sins. This idea extends beyond Fassbender and Blanchett’s characters to the relationships between the other agents—whether it’s the passionate but volatile dynamic between Burke and Abela or the cold, clinical connection between Harris and Page.
Visually, Black Bag is a testament to Soderbergh’s meticulous craftsmanship. Once again taking on triple duties (directing, editing and cinematography) he eschews showy directorial flourishes in favour of sleek, economic storytelling. Every shot is precisely composed, every edit crisp and deliberate, reinforcing the film’s tightly wound tension. As with Presence, it sometimes feels like lighter fare compared to his most ambitious works, but his thoughtful approach elevates it, ensuring even its most playful moments are perfectly executed.
As entertaining as it is compelling, Black Bag is a masterclass in sophisticated genre filmmaking. Koepp’s wry, sardonic script and Soderbergh’s disciplined yet playful style complement each other perfectly, resulting in a film that is consistently punchy, engrossing, and effortlessly cool.
★★★★
In cinemas from 14 March / Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris / Dir. Steven Soderbergh / Focus Features, Universal Pictures UK / 15
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