Brosnan’s ‘November Man’ fills bill for spy fans

  • By Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic
  • Tuesday, August 26, 2014 4:16pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Here we are in Berlin and Belgrade and Lausanne, and there’s Pierce Brosnan running through the streets. We have Russians, secret interrogation chambers and terrorists.

And microfilm! No, wait, that can’t be right — despite the trappings of Cold War espionage, this is a 21st-century movie. So it’s not microfilm, but something downloaded onto a thumb drive, which is much less fun to say that “microfilm.”

“The November Man” is strong evidence that sometimes a genre needs no excuses. This is not a great movie, nor perhaps even a particularly good one, but as the litany of component parts listed above suggests, it’s a straight-up spy picture with distinct attractions.

One of those attractions is Brosnan, who makes a much better James Bond now than he did when he actually carried the license to kill. He plays Peter Devereaux, a retired secret agent much surprised when his former apprentice (Luke Bracey) and old boss (bullet-headed Bill Smitrovich) get caught up in a botched rescue mission.

It’s all connected to a corrupt Russian politician and Chechnya rebels, tied together with an enjoyably wild conspiracy theory. The mystery woman, because there must be one, is a social worker (Olga Kurylenko, recently seen twirling in the nonsense of “To the Wonder”); there’s also a stone-cold female assassin, played by gymnast Amila Terzimehic, who doesn’t seem to be very good at her job but certainly looks cool doing it.

Brosnan does not spend time bedding down with women young enough to be his progeny — and while somewhere Roger Moore is scowling, this discretion suits the movie’s wintry attitude.

The political intrigue distinguishes it from a Liam Neeson vehicle, even if the storyline actually pulls a chapter from “Taken” in its late going. Hot-and-cold director Roger Donaldson (“Thirteen Days”) is able to keep things trundling along here, but he can’t disguise the mostly terrible dialogue.

A few genuinely shocking moments notwithstanding (Devereaux is willing to get nasty when he needs to), your tolerance for “The November Man” will rely almost entirely on a pre-existing fondness for spy movies. Those are now sufficiently rare enough that this film’s very lack of novelty is an attribute; it is neither better nor worse than the average spy flick, and those terms are agreeable to this fan of the genre.

“The November Man” (3 stars)

Not a great or even a particularly good movie, but this one has the trappings of a typical spy movie: Euro-settings, Russians and Pierce Brosnan. The former Mr. Bond plays a retired agent pulled back to duty by a wild conspiracy theory involving the Russians and Chechnya rebels. If you’re a fan of the genre, you can probably overlook the terrible dialogue and enjoy the twists.

Rating: R, for violence, language

Opened: Wednesday at Alderwood, Everett Stadium, Galaxy Monroe, Marysville, Meridian, Oak tree, Sundance Cinemas, Woodinville and Cascade Mall.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

A stroll on Rome's ancient Appian Way is a kind of time travel. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves on the Appian Way, Rome’s ancient superhighway

Twenty-nine highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary.

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV has room for up to six or seven passengers, depending on seat configuration. (Photo provided by Kia)
Kia’s all-new EV9 electric SUV occupies rarified air

Roomy three-row electric SUVs priced below 60 grand are scarce.

2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD (Photo provided by Toyota)
2023 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE Premium AWD

The compact SUV electric vehicle offers customers the ultimate flexibility for getting around town in zero emission EV mode or road-tripping in hybrid mode with a range of 440 miles and 42 mile per gallon fuel economy.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.