All the Old Knives is Amazon Prime’s latest spy-thriller to grace our small screens, and a refreshing pick outside of the sea of superhero-action features. The film hosts an ambitious cast with Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Jonathan Pryce, and Laurence Fishburne in leading roles.
Based on the 2015 novel by Olen Steinhauer (who also adapted the story into film), All the Old Knives tells the story of a botched mission that continues to haunt the CIA team responsible. Turkish Airlines Flight 127 had been hijacked by a group of terrorists who demanded the release of prisoners from Germany. The CIA agents scrambled to negotiate demands and implement an action plan to rescue the hostages. When demands were not met, however, the 120 lives onboard met with a tragic fate. The film picks up eight years later when the case of Flight 127 is revisited and a leak is suspected from within the station. Agent Henry Pelham (Pine) visits his old flame, Celia Harrison (Newton), to deduce her innocence and confront what caused their love to fizzle out in the wake of tragedy.
A War of Nerves
All the Old Knives takes place without the typical tropes of an espionage thriller. There are no fast cars, cool gadgets, or inquisitions at gunpoint. There’s none of the Jason Bourne ruggedness or James Bond glamour. This is a classic whodunit that takes place over a meal between former lovers. Thandiwe Newton and Chris Pine exchange heavy dialogue that straddles the line between an interrogation and a reminiscent walk down memory lane. Portaled back in time, we catch a glimpse at their courtship and the events that followed the hijacking of Flight 127. Various deaged versions of Pine appear across timelines. Pryce and Newton sport believable American accents. Fishburne plays the role of a mentor yet again. Tensions run high. Loyalty is tested. Wine is repeatedly poured. Tears are spilled. And a mole is unearthed.
Pine and Newton bring their A-game to their performance, engaging in verbal warfare that sizzles with sexual charge. Both intend to catch one another in a compromising position, but neither lets down their guard easily. A tenderness, now tinged with time and distance, hangs in the air. Through extreme close-ups and illuminated lighting, their eyes are enough to communicate the intensity of love and loss. The romance isn’t treated as a side character, but instead what centres the plot and keeps the emotional stakes high. Accompanied by stunning cinematography and melancholic music, the duo deliver the right balance between desire and deceit.
Less is Always More
All the Old Knives, however, isn’t without its blemishes. The run-time barely goes over 90 minutes, and yet feels incredulously long-winded. The back and forth banter grows tedious mid-way that you almost wish a car chase or CGI explosion would make an appearance. The film attempts to tackle political strife but comes across as sanctimonious with many of the Muslim characters depicted as terrorists or extremists against the CIA “good guys.” Which isn’t to say the duplicity of both parties aren’t explored to some degree, but with how the story chooses to resolve the end, it still comes off as formulaic and in poor taste.
This is not a film that can be played in the background on a lazy Friday night. It isn’t something you can tune in and out of. It’s a slow-burn cat-and-mouse game at best, but one that is complex and elegant. Within the span of a three-course meal at a high-end restaurant, old wounds are reopened, feelings are sparked, and the truth is discovered. The emotional brevity and tense dialogue that anchor the film is delivered seamlessly by Pine and Newton. And while you may not remember much of the plot once the credits start rolling, you’ll certainly remember that sensual sea-view spread shared between Henry and Celia.
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