THE NOVEMBER MAN

Reviewed by Patrick Gibbs


GRADE: C
Pierce Brosnan, Luke Bracey, Olga Kurylenko,
Bill Smitrovich, Eliza Taylor, Will Patton, Mediha Musliovic
Based on the novel "There Are No Spies" by Bill Grainger
Screenplay by Michael Finch and Karl Gajdusek
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Rated R (Violence, sex, a scene of rape and profanity)

I grew up a fan of Pierce Brosnan, having a mother and aunt who were devout Remington Steele fans who let us stay up after The A-Team and watch the show with them. As such, Brosnan was my Bond long before he actually played the role, and though GoldenEye is the only one of his Bond films that realy delivered the goods, I'll always have a strong attachment to the Brosnan era (even if they are not in the same league as what we are seeing in best of the Daniel Craig era.).

But, aside from his stint as Bond, Brosnan has never really found his niche on the big screen. High points include acclaimed box office disappointments like Seraphim Falls, and low points include the colossal embarrassment of Mama Mia, where his singing was so infamously weak as to make Russell Crowe and Gerard Butler look mildly successful at the musical genre. His only genuine, unqualified success outisde of the franchise (not counting his suporting role in Mrs. Doubfire) was The Thomas Crown Affair, where he played Steve McQueen by way of Cary Grant (in other words, James Bond.). It is very clear that audiences see Brosnan as one thing and one thing only, and to that end he returns to the big screen as both producer and star of an attempt at new spy franchise, based on the November Man novels by Bil Grainger.

Peter Devereaux (Brosnan) is a lethal and highly trained C.I.A. agent nicknamed The November Man because "nothing is left alive after he passes through." as the film opens, Deveraux retires after a botched operation wherein a young boy was killed and a permanent wedge is driven between Devereaux and his protégé, David Mason (Luke Bracey.). 

When Devereaux is lured out of retirement for one last mission by an old friend, Hanley (Bill Smitrovich.). The op is strictly off the books, and it involves contacting an old flame, Natalia, who has information regarding Arkady Federov, an ex-Russian General who is runnig for President of his country. But no sooner does Devereaux meet up with Natalia than it becomes clear they are being followed. Natalia is killed, but not before telling Deveraux that he must find Mira Fillipova, a Russian refugee who is connected somehow to Federov. Devereaux realizes that it is the C.I.A. that is following him when he comes face to face with his former pupil in a standoff, though neither man can bring himself to pull the trigger. Deveraux goes on the run, the C.I.A.goes after the seemingly rogue former agent, and the chase is on.

Deveraux discovers a possible lead into finding out who set him up. Enter Alice Fournier, played by Olga Kurylenko, who made her big debut as a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace (which makes me wonder if she is working her way backwards and she will be starring in a film with Timothy Dalton soon.) Alice is connected to a Russian refugee named Mira, and just may not be exactly what she seems. Meanwhile back at the farm, Hanley is taken into custody by the agency, but he refuses to give up his friend. Deveraux must find Mira before Mason finds him, and along the way the body count just keeps piling up.

Though well paced, the film is at once wildly convoluted and incredibly routine: what we can understand is thoroughly predictable. None of the characters are likable enough to make the face off between master and student terribly interesting, and the movie fares best when it is relying on pure action, which is for the most part gritty, well staged, and very bloody, as long time Hollywood workhorse director director Roger Donaldson (The Bounty, Species, 13 Days, The Recruit, The World's Fastest Indian) goes for a less frantic version of the Bournographic style (shooting everything in close up and utilizing zooms, though he wisely resists the urge to emulate Paul Greengrass' signature shaky cam style, which only seems to work when it is actually done by Greengrass himself.). Much of the action is entertaining, but Donaldson makes a very odd choice by completely switching styles for one scene late in the film, going with something more reminiscent of John Woo (minus the doves, thank goodness.) and it clashes badly with the rest of the action.

Brosnan gives a solid performance that shows he's not dead yet, and Luke Bracey (a last minute replacement for Dominic Cooper, who dropped out at the last minute to star in the cinematic triumph that was Need For Speed) establishes himself as a capable, generic hot young leading man type, with genuine breakout potential. and the movie feautures three very memorable scenes built around around the relationship between them, but despite their best eeforts we simply never become invested in the characters. The beautiful and intriguing Kurylenko seems to draw problematic characters like flies, and once again she does the best she can with what she has to work with, while venerable character actor Bill Smitrovich is clearly relishing the opportunity to chew the scenery as the old C.I.A. man who can't be interrogated because he wrote the protocol on the subject.

Brosnan and Donaldson have both scene better days, though it is important to note that The November Man fares far better than their previous collaboration, the wretched volcano destroys a small town disaster flick Dante's Peak (if you haven't seen it, you can simulate the experience by emptying your vacuum cleaner onto your model train layout.). In the end, it's just not a very good script, or a very good story, and it is unlikely to stick with you.

The November Man is rated R for quite a bit of violence, profanity, and sex (including a disturbing rape scene that is arguably vital to the story but something I could have really done without.). If you really go for the esponiage genre and are in the mood for something with a hard edge, this is probably worth a night out at the dollar theater.