Steven Spielberg's 29th movie, 'Bridge of Spies', earns a resounding approval from critics. With a stellar performance from Tom Hanks and each of the cast members, Spielberg's direction and narrative is lauded by critics as Oscar worthy. Here are some of what they had to say about the film:
According to Business Insider, 'Bridge of Spies' is Spielberg's best movie in years. The review says that the director can still "surprise" the audience, and has told a story that had a huge potential to be boring but was injected with a lot of life into the past. Masterfully directed, the opening was almost completely silent, showing a serried of striking close-ups and relying on visuals to set the mood of the film.
The review also mentions how Spielberg's over- sentimentality has been an issue in several of his films. In 'Bridge of Spies', Spielberg has "refreshingly decided to embrace ambiguity." The end is something that unsettles, and shows that there is more beneath the surface, not just the hero prevailing. Spielberg didn't just give another Cold War film, but he delivered "the Cold War film that we didn't realize we needed to see."
New York Post predicts Academy Awards Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor nominations for 'Bridge of Spies', considered as Spielberg's best since 'Saving Private Ryan'. Aside from the director's incredible direction, the review gives credit to the script written by British Dramatis Matt Charman and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Cohen.
The script carefully crafts the balance of arguments, "to provide civil liberties to even our enemies." It also fleshes out Hanks' dry humor perfectly. The review concludes that 'Bridge of Spies' is a "surefire Oscar bait" and will most likely have a larger audience reach than Spielberg's most recent film, 'Lincoln.'
The Telegraph UK commends the cinematography of 'Bridge of Spies', by Spielberg's reliably superb cinematographer, Janusz Kaminski. The wonderful contrast of the stark darkness of the city and it bitter beauty under the moonlight helps in the story telling. Chipping through Hanks' Brooklynite is the icy Berlin, and one can see him grow colder as the snow and cold each time he encounters Soviet and East German officials.
Describing it as "a handsome and mature entertainment", and is "rich with novelistic intrigue", 'Bridge of Spies' offers so much for the audience that it could almost be an effortless treasure trove of rewards. 'Bridge of Spies' will make its North American premiere on October 16, along with Guillermo del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'.
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