Black Bag (2025)

The critic calls it a marvellous espionage thriller and a sparkling ode to a happy marriage, praising the witty spy games and the optimistic take on monogamy.

The critic hails the electrifying film as a reminder of cinema's power, praising how Soderbergh makes monogamy look hot through pure star power, stunning style, and the irresistible chemistry between Fassbender and Blanchett. The sleek espionage and banter are singled out for delight.

The critic praises Soderbergh's lean, efficient thriller about married spies as immensely pleasurable and erotically charged. They single out the lead performances by Blanchett and Fassbender for their star power and chemistry.

The critic praises it as a smart, sexy thriller about a spy couple with trust issues, highlighting the enjoyable riff on genre material and the depth in exploring human relationships.

The critic calls the film tremendous fun and deliciously satisfying, comparing it to an Ocean's Eleven-style spy heist with sharp dialogue and twists. They highlight the slick direction, cast, and Agatha Christie-like denouement.

Soderbergh delivers a lip-smacking espionage thriller blending gloss and grit in a pared-down mole hunt. The devious screenplay keeps the mind whirring with its fun, stylish take on spycraft.

Praises it as a quick-witted, sexually supercharged espionage caper remaking Tinker Tailor for a modern audience, with stylish direction, witty dialogue, and strong ensemble; singles out the dinner scene and ensemble performances.

The critic calls it a crackling, fun Soderbergh thriller about trust and secrets in a marriage between elite spies, with spycraft serving the romantic and emotional core. Strong performances and a seductive groove are highlighted alongside the B grade.

The critic finds the restrained thriller charming and funny, with Fassbender and Blanchett slinking through a knotty story that neatly intertwines infidelity, espionage, and marriage themes. The cast's charisma and thematic resonance are praised, though it may be easy to forget afterward.

The critic finds the spy thriller sexy, slick, and self-aware, with dynamite chemistry between the leads. They single out Fassbender and Blanchett's push-and-pull dynamic and Soderbergh's deft handling of the witty script.

Soderbergh has made a propulsive slick spy hit that crackles with Fassbender and Blanchett while blending espionage with marital melodrama. It straddles the subjects deftly with its lean, luxe entertainment.

It's a pretty good thriller focused on competence porn and trust in spy couples, with funny dinner scenes but some clumsiness.

The glossy production and starry cast fail to compensate for a convoluted plot and superficial screenplay that lacks grit. It feels slick but inauthentic compared to grittier spy stories like Slow Horses.

Soderbergh confounds expectations with a hyper-polished but cerebral take on British espionage that is morally squalid yet stylish. The parlour-game aspect feels a little too knowing and mechanical in the end.

Describes it as a taut, tidy spy thriller with 007 vibes, praising the stylish yarn, entertaining dinner party scene, strong cast chemistry, and deft handling by Soderbergh.

Finds it a stylish and smart icy spy thriller with expert operatives, praising Fassbender and Blanchett's riveting chemistry, inventive screenplay, and Soderbergh’s storytelling swagger; singles out the duplicitous relationship and entertaining twists.

The critic praises the sophisticated spy thriller where love and espionage intertwine for married agents, highlighting the precision and gamesmanship in storytelling and direction, and the sophisticated material for performers.

The critic praises the witty, stylishly crafted spy thriller with a stellar ensemble led by Blanchett and Fassbender, noting it keeps viewers engaged but feels like a slick, forgettable diversion. The central marriage dynamic between the leads is singled out as what makes the movie's motor purr.

The critic calls it a masterclass in sleek, sexy, and intelligent filmmaking, commending the razor-sharp dialogue, visually stunning compositions, powerhouse performances from Fassbender and Blanchett, and Soderbergh's precise direction that makes it endlessly entertaining.

The critic calls it the year's first must-see movie, an intelligent and stylish spy thriller with excellent chemistry between the leads, a tight script, and constant tension in every scene. It highlights the visual craft and satisfying conclusion without filler.

The critic hails the deliciously sleek and taut spy puzzle, praising the splendid cast led by Fassbender and Blanchett, razor-sharp banter, clever misdirections, and Soderbergh's tight, exact direction that delivers intimacy-focused entertainment with levity.

The critic praises Soderbergh's efficient, 93-minute Cold War-style spy thriller as one of the purest genre thrills of the year, highlighting its drum-tight script, pacing, and magnetic performances from Fassbender and Blanchett as a believably complex couple of professional liars.

Soderbergh and Koepp deliver a tight, economic spy thriller that feels intimate yet grand, with an engrossing mystery and a delectable cast. Fassbender and Blanchett shine in their sexy, complex central relationship as the film twists through reveals effectively.

The critic describes it as an effortlessly cool, classical-style thriller that is direct and strong, praising its well-told traditional espionage tale, minimal but effective violence, and tonal mix of retro and modern elements with strong performances, especially Fassbender channeling le Carré vibes.

The critic finds it a sleek, smart, and sizzling good time, a thinking person's spy movie with tense, darkly comedic thrills, excellent casting, brisk pacing, and efficient editing that reminds why Soderbergh is worth following.

The critic praises the film's blend of marriage drama, comedy, and thriller elements in a tight package, highlighting the performances of Fassbender and Blanchett and the witty, tense polygraph scene. It notes some dips in momentum but overall finds it sleek and versatile.

The critic calls it an exceptionally sophisticated and adult spy thriller that blends espionage with a complicated marriage story, praising the tight pacing, witty dialogue, A+ cast, and Soderbergh's direction as giving older audiences a reason to return to theaters.

The sleek spy thriller fuses marriage and espionage in a relatively spare but dexterous genre workout, with efficient character setup at a dinner party and strong, icy and mysterious performances from Fassbender and Blanchett. Soderbergh merges his experimental and studio sides effectively in this sexy, controlled piece.

The critic finds it an insidiously great, mature and satisfying spy movie that explores human weakness at the intersection of sexual strife and political machinations, praising the strong screenplay by David Koepp, Soderbergh's cinematography, and the first-rate ensemble.