‘The Amateur’ – Review
In a genre often dominated by indestructible heroes and over-the-top set pieces, The Amateur arrives like a jolt to the system, delivering a gritty, brainy spy thriller that trades bravado for vulnerability and spectacle for smarts.
After Charles “Charlie” Heller (Rami Malek), a CIA cryptographer, loses his wife in a London terrorist attack, he realizes his bosses will not act due to conflicting internal priorities. Having blackmailed the agency to train him as a field operative, Charlie embarks on a one-man mission to hunt down his wife’s killers.
In a bold change-up that’ll make audiences do a double take, Academy Award winner Rami Malek trades in the eccentricity of past roles for something far more grounded, and dangerous, in The Amateur. This taut, nerve-wracking spy thriller directed by James Hawes (One Life) feels like a pulse-pounding throwback to the gritty espionage cinema of the early 2000s, with the emotional gravity of The Bourne Identity and the intellectual bite of classic 1970s spy work such as Three Days of the Condor. The result leading to a gripping, high-stakes thriller that you absolutely need to sit up and take notice of.
Malek stars as Charlie Heller, a quiet, unassuming CIA cryptographer who lives behind the screens, building algorithms and maps rather than engaging in fieldwork. But when personal tragedy shatters his world, and the agency denies him justice, Heller takes matters into his own hands. What follows is a wild transformation from behind-the-desk analyst to vengeance-fueled vigilante. But this isn’t your typical revenge fantasy. Heller isn’t some ex-Navy SEAL or government-sanctioned James Bond assassin. He’s just an ordinary guy. An amateur. And that’s what makes The Amateur so damn compelling.
Malek is magnetic in the role, completely disappearing into Heller’s skin. He brings a twitchy, unpredictable energy to the part, making every decision feel lived-in and high-stakes. Heller’s brilliance as a coder is his greatest weapon, and watching him outsmart trained killers using nothing but tech know-how and grit is ridiculously satisfying. He’s not bulletproof. He’s not brave in the traditional sense. He panics. He stumbles. He bleeds. And yet, he persists. It’s this underdog spirit that gives The Amateur its soul, and Malek nails it.
Director James Hawes keeps the pressure dialed up with razor-sharp pacing and sleek, atmospheric cinematography. The film globe-trots with kinetic energy, moving from shadowy safehouses to sun-bleached foreign locales, but always rooted in Heller’s personal mission. The action isn’t bombastic or over-the-top, this is a thinking man’s thriller. It’s brains over brawn, strategy over spectacle. And yet, when the bullets fly, the impact is felt. Every fight matters. Every kill stings. Hawes also isn’t afraid to inject moments of dry, ironic humor—mostly from Heller’s bumbling attempts to navigate the espionage world he’s clearly not trained for. There’s something wickedly fun about watching this soft-spoken tech guy try (and fail, then succeed) to play James Bond. These moments give the film levity without undercutting its dramatic core.
Backing up Malek is a killer supporting cast. Laurence Fishburne is pitch-perfect as Colonel Robert ‘Hendo’ Henderson, the grizzled CIA vet tasked with training Heller for the field. Fishburne brings gravitas and a steely-souled warrior spirit to the character, and the mentorship-turned-mutual-respect dynamic he builds with Malek is a highlight. Caitríona Balfe turns heads in a layered, mysterious role that adds emotional complexity and tension, while Jon Bernthal is effortlessly cool as Jackson O’Brien, a hardened field agent whose initial swagger gives way to unexpected camaraderie with Heller. Their scenes crackle with energy, and Bernthal, as always, owns the screen.
But at its core, The Amateur is about transformation — what happens when an ordinary man is pushed to extraordinary limits. It’s about revenge, yes, but also resilience. About how intelligence can be just as dangerous as firepower. It’s a thriller that wears its heart and its brain on its sleeve.
With its sharp script, emotional depth, and a standout performance from Malek, The Amateur feels like a breath of fresh air in the spy genre. It’s gritty, cerebral, and unexpectedly heartfelt. If you’re craving a thriller that actually thrills—with brains, bullets, and a whole lot of soul—The Amateur delivers in spades.
Image: 20th Century Studios
