‘Best ever’ war film with ‘perfect’ British cast is now on BBC iPlayer | Films | Entertainment

A war thriller that fans are hailing as the ‘best spy film ever’ is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

Certain film enthusiasts have declared the “brilliant” British production, which boasts one of the most star-studded ensembles in film history, operates in an entirely different league to both James Bond and Jason Bourne.

Adapted from a bestselling novel by legendary writer and former secret intelligence officer John le Carré, the Cold War thriller has been lauded as a “masterpiece” of its genre.

The 2011 picture was helmed by Tomas Alfredson and features major A-listers including Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Mark Strong, Stephen Graham and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy draws from the 1974 Le Carré novel sharing the same title and maintains an 84% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, reports The Mirror.

It premiered to largely favourable reviews and has subsequently earned acclaim for its intricate narrative, authentic atmosphere and outstanding performances.

The synopsis for the film reads: “In the 1970s England the head of MI6, Control (John Hurt), dispatches an agent (Mark Strong) to meet with a Hungarian general who knows the identity of a Soviet spy in the organization’s ranks.

“However, the mission goes wrong, and the general dies before he can reveal the information. Undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney) calls veteran agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman) back from forced retirement to ferret out the mole and stop the flow of vital British secrets to the Russians.”

Heading to the review section of Rotten Tomatoes, fans shared their verdicts on the thriller, with one viewer hailing it as “the best spy movie ever” and another lauding it as a “slow but great masterpiece”.

One fan commented: “One of the most realistic Cold War spy-games movies I’ve seen. Great performances, great cinematography. Great all around.”

Another added: “Brilliant! A tight rendition of the much longer and more complex novel, not a wasted moment, not a wasted scene, and possibly the most compelling end to a movie ever, aided by the perfectly pitched ‘La Mer’.”

A third enthused: “My personal favorite movie of all time. Excellent dialog, a spy movie plot that is complex but not too complicated, incredible acting, and ambience galore! Just about perfect IMO.

“Blessed with a formidable star-cast, the film is an intellectual treat,” another wrote, while yet another concurred: “Absolute classic. Unforgettable performances from a triple A cast. Very suspenseful plot.

“This is a movie for intellectuals, the sort of movie people should appreciate way more. Can’t give it enough stars.”

Meanwhile, others couldn’t resist drawing comparisons between Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and iconic spy franchises such as James Bond and Jason Bourne.

One wrote: “This movie is well made, brilliantly acted, and will help you understand what espionage is really about. Skip Bond and Bourne, Smiley all the way, baby!”

A further reviewer agreed the film surpassed the popular espionage genre, arguing: “If you love the words of Le Carre you will appreciate it; if you expect Jason Bourne/James Bond-style fodder, you may be better giving it a miss.”

Another wrote: “A great slow burn spy movie. Not a James bond or mission impossible type spy film, but a more cerebral cat and mouse type spy film.”

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.