Black Bag (dir. Steven Soderbergh)

By: Adam Freed

Black Bag arrives silently like a murky English fog, effortlessly enveloping audiences in a tightly wound and densely written 90 minute international espionage joyride. Completely free of bang or bluster Steven Soderbergh’s second notable film of 2025 is also the year’s best thus far. Like many memorable spy tales, Black Bag bag operates best as an ensemble piece, highlighting individual characters of meticulous design who when deployed by the master filmmaker constitute the vital pieces of a palatial puzzle. Soderbergh is no rookie when it comes to tightly written and visually stunning works of film art, as evidence one needs look no further than his iconically delightful Ocean’s Eleven (2001) or his much darker ensemble thriller Traffic (2000).  Black Bag offers everything one could desire in a spy thriller thanks in part to a script, written by David Koepp (Mission Impossible, Panic Room,) that bathes in the sleek stylings of spy noir. For all of its laudable qualities, Black Bag’s cup runneth over by way of performance as it centers around British spycraft power couple Kathryn St. Jean and George Woodhouse, played by two time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett (Tar, Carol), and two time nominee, Michael Fassbender (The Killer, Steve Jobs) respectively.

There is an unmistakable array of inviting visual textures that manifest themselves on the screen of Soderbergh’s delightful spy film.  Black Bag is the great beneficiary of the painstakingly detailed work of costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, who captures the sleek elegance of London’s elite cloak and dagger society by wrapping them in a harmonious conglomeration of ornate textures and fabrics.  The result is a duplicitous ensemble cast, clothed impeccably, a task far more difficult to achieve than it is to identify.  Adding to the dense amalgam of  stylistic gifts present in Black Bag is the film’s London backdrop.  Rather than leaning into a depiction of the capital city that is predictably chilly and rain-soaked, Soderbergh paints a canvas full of rich hues and warm tones within the confines of gorgeous and stylish homes and sleek covert office spaces.  Adding to the film’s visual intrigue is the acclaimed director’s choice to juxtapose backdrops of glass light fixtures, stone countertops and wooden floors, with those of a natural environment that features glassy lakes, natural rock and wooded fields. The result of this stylistic endeavor is that Black Bag feels as if it is a film for all seasons and for all times, despite taking place in just a little over one week.

It is best to wade gently into the foggy depths of Soderbergh’s English espionage tale free of the burdens of spoiler-laden trailers.  By placing one’s trust in the capable hands of the master filmmaker, the result is a film that never rushes into action, rather allowing Black Bag to slowly build its credibility and momentum in tandem.  The reward for such patience is a seat at the table of Steven Soderbergh’s best film in more than two decades.  

Target Score: 9/10  Delightfully understated and irresistibly detailed, Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is more than a simple English spy thriller, it is a dazzling display of sleek style and substance, and the year’s best film to date.