‘Perfect’ British spy thriller ideal for James Bond fans is on Netflix | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

The spy flick, which was first released in 2012, sees the legendary British actor channel 007 as he gears up for a high-stakes secret service mission.

In the film, Bean stars opposite an impressive cast, which includes Strike’s Tom Burke, Broadchurch star Charlotte Rampling and The Gold’s Silas Carson.

The synopsis reads: “A British secret service agent is faced with the task of pursuing and eliminating a British-born suicide bomber and his terrorist cell.”

Directed by Hadi Hajaig, Cleanskin has landed the number two spot on Netflix UK’s top films list today.

While it received a mixed reception when it was first released, it seems to have accumulated a lot of positive reviews from fans in the 14 years since it first hit cinemas.

It currently holds a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a higher audience rating of 65%, and has been rated 6.2/10 on IMDb.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Sean Bean got plenty of praise for his performance, with one person writing: “Terrific thriller. Sean Bean at his best.”

There were plenty of comparisons to Jason Bourne and James Bond, with another fan commenting: “A realistic British Bourne film, less Hollywood, more grit. Couldn’t have chosen a better actor than Sean for the lead role. I’m possibly biased from my appreciation of the Bravo Two Zero reconstruction.”

Another said: “Sean Bean is one of the most underrated stars around. He would have been the perfect Bond – totally grounded and very dangerous, akin to Daniel Craig.”

One more noted: “A hidden gem of a film. Gripping in its simple linear execution. Classic old British cloak & dagger stuff.”

Meanwhile, over on IMDb, one fan called it “perfect”, while one more insisted: “Surely best or British this year…”

“Spooks meets Bourne – doesn’t get much better than this!” a viewer enthused, while another called it “better than Homeland and a lot shorter” and one more said: “Sean Bean as James Bond! YES!”

Cleanskin is available to stream now on Netflix.