THE AMATEUR. The Revenge Algorithm [REVIEW]

Shortly after the premiere of A Working Man with Jason Statham—featuring a highly trained killer effortlessly mowing down legions of professional criminals—we now have a very different kind of hero hitting theaters. The Amateur. 

A CIA analyst and cryptography specialist—a typical computer nerd, essentially—is a character who usually plays a supporting, often comedic role in action films. That’s meant to highlight how out of place such a person is in a world without rules, where survival means activating a killer instinct. But in an era where we’re surrounded by rapidly advancing technology, mathematical minds are more valuable than ever—because brute force alone isn’t enough (unless you’re Jason Statham or Chuck Norris).

This time, the spotlight falls on a man who’s spent most of his life behind a computer screen, but who, driven by circumstance and a sense of justice, is forced to step into a world usually reserved for Jason Bourne and his peers.

Charles Heller (Rami Malek), a codebreaker working for the CIA, uncovers illegal military operations sanctioned by agency director Alex Moore (Holt McCallany). When Heller’s wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan), is killed in a terrorist attack in London—and the agency refuses to take action—he decides to use compromising information about the CIA to force his superiors to train him for fieldwork. That training is led by Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne), who quickly concludes that Heller lacks the killer instinct and has no chance against real terrorists. Soon after, Heller is branded a traitor and a kill order is placed on him.

Originally, Hugh Jackman was considered for the lead role, but the decision to go with Rami Malek instead was definitely the right one. An Oscar winner for Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), Malek looks nothing like a traditional action hero—and that’s exactly what makes this film work. He’s perfect as an amateur who becomes a professional thanks to his wits, tech skills, and a powerful drive fueled by personal tragedy and a need for justice.

The rest of the cast fits well into the film’s atmosphere, though the performances are fairly standard—representing classic archetypes: the power-abusing boss, the dirty work specialist, the victimized woman, the femme fatale, and of course, the usual parade of villains who think guns solve everything.

The script, written by Ken Nolan and Gary Spinelli, is an adaptation of Robert Littell’s novel published on May 15, 1981. Just six months later, the first film adaptation hit the screen—thanks in part to Littell co-writing the screenplay. The original The Amateur (1981), directed by Charles Jarrott and starring John Savage and Christopher Plummer, stood out for examining the ethical boundaries of American intelligence services during the Cold War. In that version, the protagonist posed just as much of a threat to the U.S. government as he did to the terrorists—placing the two on equal footing. Sadly, the original has faded into obscurity and will likely be rediscovered only thanks to this new adaptation. The 1981 film is hard to find nowadays, though anyone with decent internet skills should be able to track it down.

The new Amateur is directed by James Hawes, who previously explored the spy world in the series Slow Horses (2022). The film runs just under two hours, but it still feels too short. The training sequence for the main character could’ve been more fleshed out, and the mission planning is very superficial—diminishing what was supposed to be the protagonist’s strength: intelligence over flash. As a result, the revenge arc falls into familiar territory, focusing on taking out bad guys in spectacular fashion. This isn’t a modern-day Count of Monte Cristo, turning vengeance into an art form. It’s another action movie using the genre’s familiar tropes, including cliché character decisions—like the trailer scene where Henderson tests Heller by asking him to point a gun at his chest.

What some might consider a flaw—brevity and lack of depth—others might see as a plus, since it keeps the film moving at a brisk pace without boring the audience. The action scenes are well-executed, particularly Heller’s “first strike” against Gretchen Frank (Barbara Probst). Later scenes become more explosive and less thought-through, raising the risk of collateral damage. The pool scene teased in the trailer can be compared to a similar moment in the original adaptation. Speaking of which, the original film’s ending is far more emotional, with a clever mirror-based twist seemingly inspired by The Lady from Shanghai (1947) or Enter the Dragon (1973).

Despite its shortcomings, James Hawes’ The Amateur feels like the work of seasoned professionals. It may not offer a fresh take on vigilante justice, but it delivers satisfying entertainment—arguably more enjoyable than David Ayer’s recent A Working Man. The film benefits from varied locations—London, Paris, Marseille, and Istanbul—that enhance the atmosphere of a classic spy adventure. The shifting scenery pairs well with the accelerating pace, and the tension stays at a decent level throughout, making it easier to forgive the plot shortcuts and genre clichés baked into this precisely programmed revenge algorithm.