SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD (2015)

Spooks: The Greater Good (2015)
Directed by: Bharat Nalluri
Written by: David Wolstencroft, Jonathan Brackley, Sam Vincent
Starring: Elyes Gabel, Jennifer Ehle, Kit Harington, Lara Pulver, Peter Firth, Tim McInnerny, Tuppence Middleton

SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD (2015)
Directed by Bharat Nalluri

When Qasim, a highly wanted criminal by the CIA, is broken free from MI5 custody during transit, head of MI5 counter-terrorism department Harry Pearce suspects that one their own was in on the hijack and is attempting to bring down the agency so that the CIA can officially take over. After being forced to resign, Harry takes it upon himself to find the traitor, even if it means making a deal with Qasim in the process. The department heads at MI5 fear for what Harry is involved with or who he’s collaborating with and decide to put dismissed agent Will Holloway on the case. When Holloway catches up with Pearce, he learns of Pearce’s suspicions and must decide whether to believe and help him to take down the traitor within MI5 or turn Pearce in before Qasim unleashes his terror attacks on London.

A movie spin off of the successful BBC series, SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD is a standalone action thriller that sees Jon Snow Kit Harington star as young MI5 agent Will Holloway who’s dragged back into service to help the agency get back their greatest and most dangerous asset, longtime series regular Harry Pearce (Peter Firth). Pearce seems to be a clever man who isn’t afraid of doing a bit of wrong for the greater good, hence the title, which puts Holloway in a tough predicament as he’s more into the job to do good rather than to do well. Will he choose to help Pearce, the man who decommissioned him from the job he loved or will he take a chance and help Pearce to uncover who’s wanting to bring MI5 to the ground?

SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD is very well paced as it blends drama with action to grab your attention. The scenes between Holloway and Pearce are fantastic but unfortunately the villain of the piece, Qasim (played by Scorpion’s Elyes Gabel) isn’t intimidating enough to make a dangerous terrorist, nevermind the CIA’s most wanted criminal. It doesn’t even seem the main characters are too bothered with him either as more time is spend trying to chase Harry than Qasim, the latter of whom attempts to pull of some ‘terror’ stunts that Bane performed much better and more convincing in The Dark Knight Rises.

Though it has some decent performances from the cast, particularly Firth and Harington, SPOOKS: THE GREATER GOOD feels as though it would be more at home on the television. The film is not gritty nor thrilling enough to stand on its own two feet as a flick and its twist and turns can be seen a mile off which leaves it little more than a basic action thriller. It’s a shame because with a better developed villain and beefier script with some nordic style grit, it could hae been a decent effort.

I’m sure fans of the series might well enjoy it and for what it’s worth, it passes an hour and a half, but don’t expect anything shocking or groundbreaking.

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