Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 5/10
Cast: Sam Heughan, Hannah John-Kamen, Ruby Rose, Andy Serkis, Tom Hopper, Tom Wilkinson, Owain Yeoman, Ray Panthaki, Noel Clarke, Anne Reid, Jing Lusi, Sarah Winter, Caroline Boulton, Richard McCabe, Douglas Reith, Dylan Smith, Attila C. Arpa, Aymen Hamdouchi, Grant Crookes, Tim Fellingham, Roderick Hill, Ty Hurley, Martin Angerbauer, Kevin Ezekiel Ogunleye, Karoly Baksai.
In the best laid traditions of James Bond, Her Majesty’s Government, and the Secret Services, it takes a psychopath to catch a psychopath, however the instrument of such bluntness is a cold steel walnut going up against a fragile glass hammer when it comes to penetrating the exterior of the film lover, especially when such a tale is presented without the humour of 007 or the best laid plan of a worthy adversary.
SAS: Red Notice boils down to the faceless emotion of love and what it means to those who fail to understand the sentiment, and who find other ways to prove and impress others, failing to even fake the joy seen in others, and left unnoticed, only brings out the worst traits in any human being, and one that is not easily captured for the best on film, especially when the best members of the cast for range and scale are left in supporting roles.
Based on the novel by Andy McNab, Laurence Malkin’s screenplay adaptation of SAS: Red Notice is by no means close to capturing the thrill of any of the James Bond adventures across its 60 year output, nor does it perhaps show the service in a good light like many of its predecessors, however it does at least portray the complicit nature of many a British Government in its attempts to control events in other nation’s affairs, and in the lives of those who serve at its core.
It takes a special breed of person to be in such a force, and perhaps that is where Sam Heughan as Tom Buckingham comes into play, and it is to his credit that he gives the role a good, if not completely convincing, performance. In other hands the role could have been described as close to being wooden, sterile, but Mr. Heughan makes sure that this isn’t the case as he stares down the camera in self-belief, and one which, when finally, he comes face to face with the villain of the piece, Ruby Rose as Grace Lewis, elevates her own performance to one which during the rest of the film is staid, but uninspiring.
It is to Andy Serkis that the film owes its personality, the bubbling under demure and tantalising piece it wishes to be, is contained in the scenes with the man who can portray such complex human facial expressions, and to which at times is sheer poetry on screen, and with Hannah John-Kamen in support as Dr. Sophie Hart, the truth of bringing out the soul from behind the psychopath nature is revealed and urged on.
SAS: Red Notice fails to truly entertain because the audience cannot find true empathy with either of the protagonists, stone cold emotions and faces that betray nothing do not endear themselves to the nature of visual performance. In what can be considered Sam Heughan’s audition for the role of Ian Fleming’s suave and brutal spy, it could be argued that it hasn’t done him any favours.
Ian D. Hall