I watched 'Black Bag' and it's one of the best spy thrillers in years

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.

“Black Bag” is the first great movie of 2025.

In no small part, I came out satisfiedbecausethe movie was only 94 minutes long.

I can’t think of a single frame I would have cut from the movie.

Don’t just take my word for it either.

As of this writing, “Black Bag” is rated 96% fresh onRotten Tomatoesfrom 92 reviews.

That is undeniably a critical success.

As it should be.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie this expertly crafted.

To be fair, Soderbergh knows what he’s doing.

If you pay attention to the clues, they almost always pay off in the end.

Whether or not you have already heard about this movie or not, you should probably see it.

Here’s what ‘Black Bag’ is about and why this is a must-watch in theaters this weekend.

What is ‘Black Bag’ about?

‘Black Bag’ stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett as spy couple George Woodhouse and Kathryn St. Jean.

They both work for the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre.

Within the agency, their roles are quite different.

But at the beginning of the movie, her work is suddenly George’s problem.

A piece of covert tech has been stolen and it’s clear that someone is a traitor.

What follows is a game of cat and mouse, only everyone playing thinks they’re the cat.

Almost everyone that matters is in the dinner scene in the opening third of the movie.

The lone exception is Arthur Steiglitz (Pierce Brosnan), who is everyone’s boss.

And ultimately, it’s the spies who matter in this spy thriller.

That’s about the only thing that’s a throwaway in the movie.

Everything else matters, from the brilliant dialogue to the tempo-setting score.

Fassbender is incredible as is Blanchett, and their chemistry is electric, flirtatious and smoldering all at once.

But the breakout performance is Marisa Abela as Clarissa Dubose.

But anyone who’s seen her in the HBO/Max drama series already knows she’s a star.

So go see her performance for yourself.