The Amateur Mini Review
- Matt Hill
- Apr 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Runtime: 2h 4m Genre: Thriller/Action Release Date: 11th April 2025
PLOT: After CIA Decoder Charlie Heller (Rami Malek) discovers his wife has been murdered in a terror attack, he takes matters into his own hands as he goes on a quest for revenge.
Thoughts
Everyone at some point will have watched a spy thriller, especially one focused on revenge. Except for the difference this time around, it doesn't star a well-equipped cold-blooded killer; instead, it's headed by a computer desk hacker, and so his quest for revenge will need to play to those strengths.
Rami Malek does a good job as lead Charlie Heller, making him a hero you want to root for despite his disadvantage. Early on, there are a good number of scenes showcasing his talents, so when the revenge tale starts, you know the kind of agent you're following has the field skills of a rookie but the brain of the best.
It makes for a familiar tale unfold in a slightly different, yet refreshing way. As you watch Charlie become more competent on his quest for revenge, he uncovers an interweaving web of deceit in the shadows. Although it becomes crucial to the plot, the way it unfolds makes it feel like a distraction from the central story, despite it being crucial to the overall plot. I know it's a spy thriller and people will want corruption and shadow ops, but the way it is handled doesn't feel like the cleanest, and at times, when the plot lines want to merge, they feel forced rather than natural.
In a Nutshell
The Amateur is a good spy movie, but it's not the spy movie for me. The film moves at a steady pace, but it felt sluggish for large portions, making the 2-hour 4 runtime feel much longer. The thought behind how Charlie seeks his revenge is interesting, but it all feels like watching a wheel turn in first gear. Moving forward, but rarely taking it up a level.
3/5
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