Film review: Spooks: The Greater Good (15)

I never got round to watching Spooks during its near decade-long run on BBC One.

I couldn’t quite tell you why, either. Spy shows and films are right up my street, with the likes of the Bourne trilogy and Daniel Craig’s James Bond offerings amongst my favourite in the genre.

Assured that I didn’t really need to know much about the ten series-long MI-5 show – and somewhat wowed by the presence of Game Of Thrones star Kit Harington – I had high hopes for The Greater Good.

Harington (Jon Snow to us GOT fans) is the main new addition to the cast, with Spooks mainstay Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) and series alumni Mace (Tim McInnerny), Erin Watts (Lara Pulver) and Malcolm Wynn-Jones (Hugh Simon) all back.

Other fresh faces here are Homeland’s David Harewood, Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty) and Tuppence Middleton (Jupiter Ascending), while Elyes Gabel (World War Z) plays chief villain Adem Qasim.

As with spy action thrillers, it’s always hard to say too much about the storyline without giving the game up.

However, it’s something of a shame that Spooks serves up the clichéd “mole inside the agency” number.

That revelation comes about when big-time terrorist Qasim is broken out of MI-5 custody. Fan favourite Harry, who is Head of Counter-terrorism, is promptly blamed for the incident – but smells something of a rat and takes matters into his own hands in true Jack Bauer style.

That forces MI-5 to reach out to his former protégé Will Holloway (Harington) in a bid to track him down. Holloway is something of a broody young gun with unresolved issues with his old mentor, but it soon becomes clear that he’s the only one Harry can trust.

The pair are forced into an uneasy alliance as they bid to stop a devastating terror attack while finding the MI-5 leak – and I enjoyed their dynamic.

Despite not having any background knowledge of Harry, it was easy to see why fans of the show love him. He’s the man who’ll do anything for “The Greater Good” – the likeable anti-hero, if you will. Harington, meanwhile, brings star quality to the table. You can imagine him playing this kind of role long-term – and I thought he did a pretty good job in what is probably only his second major lead role.

I was happy enough with most of the cast, with Gabel a solid villain, Middleton a decent agent caught up in the cross-fire and Ehle, Harewood and McInnerny all decent enough in their roles as the big-wigs.

Having spoken to a few fans of the show, they advise me that The Greater Good is essentially just a longer version of a traditional Spooks TV episode.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing for those of you with a prior interest in the series, as you’ll be getting more of a story that you know and likely love.

But for the big screen, Spooks is dipping its toes in one of the strongest genres in the business. It’s clever, gritty and pretty slick, but doesn’t have the same wow factor offered by the current standard-bearers.

I couldn’t honestly tell you that The Greater Good is in the same league as Skyfall or The Bourne Identity. Neither is it as clever as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy or A Most Wanted Man, for example.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, though. If you’ve seen the show, this a natural extension to a tried and tested formula.

If you haven’t, there’s still enough here to merit a trip to the cinema.

Voice Verdict: 7.5/10
+ Firth/Harington
+ Natural extension for fans of TV series
– Not in same league as Bourne/Bond/MI, etc

Showtimes  (Friday, May 15 to Thursday, May 21)

BOSTON WEST END CINEMA

LIVE EVENT

ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA – PIRATES OF PENZANCE (12A)
7.30pm (Tues)

FILM SHOWING

**MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (15)
Noon (Sat/Sun/Wed)

**MAD MAX: FURY ROAD 3D (15)
2.40pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Wed), 5.40pm (daily), 8.20pm (daily)

**PITCH PERFECT 2 (12A)
10am (Sat/Sun), 12.30pm (Sat/Sun/Wed), 3.15pm (Fri/Sat/Sun/Wed), 6pm (daily), 8.40pm (daily)

THE AGE OF ADALINE (12A) 2pm
(Wed), 3.45pm (Mon/Tues/Thurs), 5.45pm (daily)

SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD (15)
4.15pm (Fri/Sat/Sun), 8.45pm (daily)

BIG GAME (12A)
10.20am (Sun) 2.10pm (Fri/Sat/Sun), 4.20pm (Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs)

UNFRIENDED (15)
6.30pm (daily), 8.40pm (not Tues)

TWO BY TWO (U)
10am (Sat/Sun), 12.40pm (Sat/Sun), 3.45pm (Sat/Sun)

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON 3D (12A)
12.30pm (Sat/Sun), 8.15pm (daily)

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON 2D (12A)
2.40pm (Fri/Sat/Sun), 4pm (Tues), 5.45pm (not Tues)

HOME 2D (U)
10am (Sat/Sun)

KIDS’ CLUB
Sat/Sun/Mon 10.30am – Night At The Museum 3 (PG)

SILVER SCREEN
Wed 11.30am – The Age of Adaline (12A)

** denotes film is free list suspended

SPALDING’S SOUTH HOLLAND CENTRE

INSURGENT (12A) IN 2D
2pm (Sat), 7.30pm (Fri)

INSURGENT (12A) IN 3D
6.30pm (Sat)