Rami Malek certainly couldn’t kick your ass, but he sure as hell could kill you.
The Amateur poses an intriguing “what if”—what if Jason Bourne had zero combat skills and instead took down enemies using brains, not brawn? In theory, that concept is cool. In practice, it makes for a decent, but ultimately forgettable, espionage thriller.
Rami Malek plays the lead as a strong, silent type on a mission of revenge, and while he does well in the role, the movie never fully capitalizes on its potential. The main issue? The trailer gives away way too much. I must’ve seen it before nearly every movie this year, and by the time I actually watched the film, I felt like I’d already seen half of it. All the unique kills—the science and math-based moments that should’ve had me leaning forward—were already spoiled in the previews. A tighter, more restrained trailer would’ve done wonders for the suspense.
The film’s runtime is on the shorter side, but it feels longer. That’s mostly because I kept feeling like I knew exactly what was going to happen. The narrative doesn’t bring many surprises until maybe the final 10 minutes, and by then, it’s a little too late.
One bright spot? Rachel Brosnahan. With her big role as Lois Lane coming up, I was curious to see how she’d do here, and honestly, she impressed me. She brought a presence and depth to her character that stood out, and it made me a little more excited to see her in the Superman reboot.
Overall, The Amateur is a perfectly watchable film—it just doesn’t demand to be seen in theaters. It’s a “wait for Netflix” kind of movie, the kind people will casually discover and then say, “Oh hey, did you watch The Amateur?” It’s not bad, especially for a lower-budget project, and Malek might be enough of a draw to bring in some attention. But if you’re looking for action-packed thrills or a twisty spy narrative, you might walk away a little underwhelmed.
The Amateur = 66/100