Rated R

Malek plays a CIA analyst whose wife is killed in a terrorist attack. Seeking retribution, he wants to be trained in the field so he can go after the men who killed her.

The everyman’s revenge genre is popular, though the story still relies on his character as an IT genius for the CIA. But beyond that, a significant portion of the film plays out like a standard spy story with few stand-out thrills.

It’s not uncommon for a movie to present its best moments in the trailer, but THE AMATEUR practically turns this into an art form. Not only does the trailer telegraph every satisfying moment, but it does so with better pacing and writing than the full-length feature.

Malek seems bored throughout the movie, and the muted, dimly-lit cinematography doesn’t help. What could have been vibrant and thrilling is presented in shades of gray.

There’s a decent story hiding somewhere in THE AMATEUR, but you’ll need an expert spy to find it.

THE AMATEUR gets two encryption codes out of five. I’m Kevin Carr, and that’s the way I see it.

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