Rami Malek Sets Off Explosive Revenge Plot in ‘The Amateur’
20th Century Studios’ latest espionage thriller is a nice break from today’s invincible superheroes from space and other parallel universes, proving that, indeed, not all heroes (or villains) wear capes. Sometimes, they’re cryptographers who can break code and assemble bombs like Lego.
Based on the 1981 novel of the same name by Robert Littel, “The Amateur” is a vigilante action thriller directed by James Hawes, starring Oscar-winner Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rapsody”), Rachel Brosnahan, (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Caitríona Balfe (“Outlander”), and Laurence Fishburne (“John Wick”). The slow-burn thriller centers on a CIA codebreaker whose entire world shatters when his wife is murdered in a terrorist attack. Unable to handle his grief and frustrated with the agency’s inactivity to apprehend his wife’s killers, he embarks on a mission to hunt them down himself.
The Beat Asia got to attend a special screening of the film last Apr. 7, and here's what we thought of the gripping silver screen gem.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
A Gratifying and Intelligent Revenge Plot for the Books
Rami Malek gives a powerful performance as Charlie Heller, an introverted but brilliant CIA codebreaker who loses his wife in a terrorist attack. The beginning of the film shows scenes before the tragedy and sets up the emotional foundations of the story, which becomes its own conflict post-attack. The first act combines scenes of Charlie and Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan) parting ways as she goes off on a business trip, him going into work, and his daily routine, highlighting that he’s a charmingly awkward, quiet man who’s incredibly good at what he does.
But when news reaches him that his wife had been shot in a terrorist attack, he breaks down, but instead of losing himself in grief, he grows even more hyper-focused, intent on tracking down Sarah’s killers. It didn't take long for him to discover the people behind the attack, but the inaction from his agency led him to the path of becoming a CIA operative himself so he could hunt the killers down.
When he finally gets the training he wants, we immediately see that this man is no killer as he struggles to shoot a gun; paralyzed the moment he’s urged to pull the trigger in front of his handler and trainer, Colonel Robert Henderson. Everyone seemed to underestimate Charlie’s ability to pull off his revenge plan, but this soon becomes his greatest strength as the more they underestimated him, the smarter Charlie got as he starts to figure out how to use the resources available to him, especially his most important tool: his brilliant mind.
Rami’s portrayal as “The Amateur” is emotional, intelligent, and wholly human. Action heroes are often described as strong and invincible, but Charlie is just a normal civilian trying to avenge his wife, who was brutally and unfairly murdered. His character was deeply rooted in grief, loneliness, and anger, and we love how it explored moral uncertainty as he carried out those rogue missions. “The Amateur” impressively encapsulates what it means to be in a gray area, and how strong emotions can easily push people to do things they never thought possible.
The movie’s strength is in its emotional realism as it focuses more on the character’s vulnerabilities and inner monologues as he grapples with the consequences of violence. Those flashes of blood, weapons, and murders show us that no matter how much Charlie believed those people deserved it, he still struggled with the idea of blood on his hands. It was heartbreaking and thought-provoking at the same time, as we viewers begin to question: "Should we be rooting for him to kill these men too? Will revenge truly make everything okay?"
We applaud director James Hawes for capturing those moments of grief and turmoil, instead of leaning heavily on stunts. Every time a target was taken down, it never felt gratifying. Instead, it only added to that heaviness in our chests as Charlie is shown suffering from the cost of those murders. Eventually, however, it was fascinating to see him stumble through the plan, then get back up again with another smart Plan B, highlighting that brains, not bullets, win the war.
Although Rachel Broshnan had little screen time compared to the other actors, her role was highly impactful because she was the motivation, and every time Charlie begins to rethink his decision about pursuing the terrorists, Sarah’s ghost comes to haunt him, almost like a reminder that he needs to see this through. Not to mention, Rachel and Rami’s chemistry was on point, which added depth to Charlie’s grief.
Other notable performances were Caitríona Balfe, who played the role of Inquiline, an anonymous information tipper who ended up helping Charlie through one of his revenge plans, and Laurence Fishburne, who played Colonel Henderson, the protagonist’s mentor figure turned hunter.
Our only gripe with the colonel was that we had hoped his relationship with Charlie would have been given a little bit more screen time, which brings us to the film’s weakness. Despite its strong emotional anchor, the movie had some plot holes, which were slightly obscured by the gripping action sequences.
Yes, it was a thrill ride from start to finish, keeping us on the edge of our seats as the story took us across Europe, but since the story progressed quickly, it left little room to linger on character developments or deepen their relationships.
Some of the things Charlie had accomplished also seemed out of this world, which was mainly due to how the film didn’t show much about what happened in between, omitting some important planning aspects for his grand hunt. It only showed us snippets of how he set up these explosive traps, which left the rest to our imagination.
However, being plot-driven does match the vibe of a CIA thriller since audiences would be expecting more action than dialogue, but this film had a good balance of both! It kept tensions high throughout the film and connected audiences with the characters well, making the journey not only entertaining but meaningful.
Final Verdict
Overall, “The Amateur” is a film reminiscent of old-school spy movies we know and love, a thoughtfully crafted story centered on one’s humanity. It’s thought-provoking without the dull moments in between, and it provides the perfect balance of action and heart.
“The Amateur” is our new favorite morally grey character, and despite the violence and the character’s desire for revenge, it portrays a protagonist that is layered and sympathetic, you can’t help but root for — all thanks to Rami’s brilliant performance. Is he a hero or a villain? We think it’s pointless to decide, considering that as humans, aren’t we all a little bit of both?
If you’re looking for an entertaining, gripping thrill ride with peak acting, make sure to get front-row seats for this one. “The Amateur” is out now in Philippine cinemas, and the rest of the world on Apr. 11.
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