James Hawes’The Amateuris one of this year’s most exciting movies, following a rogue ex-CIA agent on his journey to get revenge on the terrorists who killed his wife. Starring Rami Malek in the lead role, the film is clearly inspired by several modern thrillers in the same vein; its loud set pieces and rich character work are very familiar, and keep the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish. There have beenmultiple adaptations ofThe Amateur’s storyover the years, but this certainly feels like one of the most compelling.
Hawes’ movie received strong reviewsduring its theatrical run, with many critics praising its ability to feel so familiar within the spy genre while trying something new and subversive at the same time. Now thatThe Amateuris available on streaming, it’s the perfect opportunity for audiences to dive into the other movies that may have influenced it.
In many ways,Takenis the blueprint of movies likeThe Amateur. Its underdog story of an ex-CIA operative against a deadly syndicate of organized crime is very familiar, with both Liam Neeson and Malek’s characters undergoing a very similar journey throughout the films.
Takencenters around a protective father who must employ his old CIA habits when his daughter is taken captive by criminals during her trip to Paris, tracking them down and ultimately doing anything within his power to bring his daughter home. While some of the sequels get a bad reputation for their melodramatic stories and over-edited action scenes,the originalTakenis a compelling, gripping thriller.
The Accountanttells the story of a gifted mathematician who employs his skills to work alongside America’s most notorious criminals, handling their finances and keeping them out of trouble. But when the FBI closes in on his identity, Ben Affleck’s protagonist must take a legitimate job to cover his tracks.
The Accountant is similar to countless other action moviesin its violent set pieces and complex narrative web, butthe movie also stands out thanks to the unique dynamic between Affleck and Jon Bernthal, who plays his brother.
Soderbergh has cemented himself as somewhat of a visionary within the thriller genre over the past few decades, andNo Sudden Moveis one of his most gripping stories yet.The movie centers around a gang of criminals in 1950s Detroitwho rope an ordinary bank clerk into their dangerous plot.
No Sudden Movehas the same sense of palpable urgency and gritty underdog realism that makesThe Amateursuch a compelling story, but this also has Soderbergh’s unique visual flair added to it.
No Sudden Movehas the same sense of palpable urgency and gritty underdog realism that makesThe Amateursuch a compelling story, but this also has Soderbergh’s unique visual flair added to it. There are very few movies that manage to squeeze quite as much tension into such a short runtime.
American Madeis much more comedic and lighthearted thanThe Amateur, but the two films have a surprising amount of similarities in their stories.Both projects center around ordinary people with discreet ties to the CIA, who use their professional knowledge to their advantage. Only Cruise’s protagonist inAmerican Madeis somewhat less noble than Malek’s inThe Amateur.
Doug Liman’s slick direction blends so effortlessly with Cruise’s charismatic lead performance inAmerican Made, cementing this pair as one of the industry’s most charming collaborative forces. With such a strong catalog, it’s no wonder thatCruise and Liman have so many projects lined upfor the future.
Tony Scott is another legendof the action genre, andMan on Fireis considered by many to be his best movie to date.The story follows a dangerous assassin who is hired to protect a wealthy family, and subsequently sets out to get revenge on the criminals who captured his client’s daughter.
Every frame of the movie is filled with palpable tension, which keeps the audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
Man on Fireis a very typical story of revenge, much likeThe Amateur, but it’s Scott’s gritty direction and Denzel Washington’s ferocious lead performance that really set it apart from the competition. Every movie frame is filled with palpable tension, which keeps the audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
Another of Steven Soderbergh’s fast-paced thrillers,Black Bagis much less action-packed than the majority of his filmography, but no less gripping. The movie follows a group of British intelligence agents who suspect a mole within their ranks, pitting them against each other to discover the truth before they’re each framed for crimes they may not have committed.
Black Bagfeatures a brilliant ensemblewith names such as Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Marisa Abela leading the cast. It’s the kind of story that truly places its characters in the spotlight, demanding the kind of sharp, double-edged writing that only experienced filmmakers like Soderbergh are capable of.
Affleck’s grippingBest Picture-winnerabout an undercover rescue operation is not only the actor/director’s most impressive movie to date, but also one of the most engaging Best Picture recipients of the past few decades. The movie centers around an exfiltration specialist who is hired to rescue six American diplomats from Tehran after the US embassy is attacked by Iranian extremists.
Argoholds an impressive 96% from critics and 90% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
In order to safely evacuate the targets, Affleck’s protagonist poses as a movie studio executive looking to finance his new sci-fi project.It’s both a deeply funny and intensely grounded insight into the machinations of the American government, with Affleck seriously impressing on both counts of acting and directing.
Dominic Cooke’sThe Courieris one of the most underrated thrillers of this decade, telling the unbelievable true story ofan English businessman who is unknowingly roped into an international conflictthat could have global ramifications on the temperature of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Courieris one ofBenedict Cumberbatch’s best-ever projects, exploring topics as powerful and ambiguous as the nature of war, human morals, and how far people would go to protect the people they love. It’s a much more sprawling tale thanThe Amateur, but much of its rich character work is very similar.
There’s a real sense of slick espionage inThe Amateurthat’s clearly inspired bytheJames Bondfranchise, andNo Time To Diefeels the most similar in terms of its storytelling and visual language.
It’s much larger and bolder thanThe Amateurin the scope of its story, but these two gripping thrillers are clearly made with a similar audience in mind.
Thishigh-stakes sequel marked the culmination of Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond, following the titular character as he faced off against Malek’s villainous Lyutsifer Safin to prevent countless civilian deaths. It’s much larger and bolder thanThe Amateurin the scope of its story, but these two gripping thrillers are clearly made with a similar audience in mind.
Andrew Davis’The Fugitiveisone of the quintessential “everyman” thrillers, starring Harrison Ford as an ordinary man who’s framed for the murder of his wife and hunted down by a US Marshal. Its grounded story of justice, vengeance, and trying to prove one’s name is clearly mirrored inThe Amateur.
The Fugitivehas long been praised for its progression of the thriller genre, much asThe Amateurwas praised for its subversion of the spy genre. Both movies have thematically rich storytelling, dynamic characters, and well-shot action sequences that give the audience the best of both worlds: a spectacular moviegoing experience and powerful ideas they can take home with them.
