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Amy Norman (1042 KP) rated Captive State (2019) in Movies

Jul 23, 2022

Captive State (2019)

2019 | Sci-Fi, Thriller

5.9

(12 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Not the usual alien movie.

It's not all over glorified action, instead it is a slow burn, centering around a small rebellion, with the feel of a government espionage/spy thriller.
Overall it felt slightly predictable but I wasn't hugely invested, so was happy to go along for the ride, and just enjoy it for what it was.

There are some acting giants here, that deliver as usual, but were given such short screen time for it to have much impact.
A couple of newbies, that I hadn't encountered, held up the leads, but unfortunately for them they weren't given much to work with, or build on for you too truly feel for them.

It certainly wasn't a bad film, it had some interesting moments but it will likely have faded from my purview within a week or two.

Don't watch if you're into all out battles with humans vs aliens going toe-to-toe, and trying to outsmart each other.
Do watch if you enjoy the slow unfolding of a spy thriller, with small doses of peril peppered throughout (and aliens just to spice it up a little).

Kudos

City of the Dead

James Ponti

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

In this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James...

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Danger on the Atlantic in Books

Apr 1, 2022 (Updated Apr 1, 2022)

Cruising with a Spy

Jane Wunderly is making her way back to America, but she isn’t crossing the Atlantic alone. She’s crossing with Redvers, and she’s been asked by his employers to help him track down a German spy on board. Then, Jane meets Vanessa, a socialite who claims that her new husband has vanished from the ship. Can she solve the two cases? Or will one distract from the other?

There is plenty going on here, which is why it surprises me to find the pacing is slightly off. It was a bit slow at the beginning and it felt rushed at the end. Overall, there was still a good mystery here with plenty of twists. I didn’t have everything worked out by the end. I loved the setting, and felt like I was traveling in style with Jane. Well, style for 1926. Jane and Redvers are the only returning characters, but I didn’t mind since I loved watching them interacting. The new characters are strong and helped pull me into the book. If you are looking for a charming historical mystery, this series is for you.

Kudos

Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Performance Anomalies in Books

Jan 15, 2018

Well after reading Performance Anomalies I'd have to say that Victor Robert Lee has created an interesting new male lead in the spy genre with his Cono character. Cono is gifted with lighting fast processing skills & reflexes which he uses to help out various international interests. You can't help but feel for Cono & his drifting life style. But I also found myself disliking him too...he seems to flit through life without laws. He is an interesting blend of personalities. I look forward to seeing how Lee decides to expand the character & the series.

Kudos

Suswatibasu (1701 KP) rated Bridge of Spies (2015) in Movies

Aug 14, 2017

Bridge of Spies (2015)

2015 | Drama, History, Thriller

8.1

(17 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Fabulous historical political biopic

It's easy to dismiss this as another big budget Hollywood film, however, the fact that Tom Hanks' character has to fight against the American judicial system makes it seem less like a "Make America Great Again" type of movie. Jim Donovan was a unique lawyer defending a Soviet spy, and then making an exchange for a US soldier and student stuck in East Berlin. The historical political nature of this biopic is fascinating. And while there is an element of hero worshipping, there's a good reason to love Tom Hanks.

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha (Mrs Pollifax #7) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

It'd been too long since I had visited this old friend. In this book, the newly remarried Mrs. Pollifax sets off to Hong Kong to find out why one of Carstairs' informants has started sending him bogus information. Naturally, she is quickly in over her head. The formula is intact, although the finale of the book is very dark for the series (though not for a spy novel) and a bit rushed.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-mrs-pollifax-and-hong-kong.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.