The opening sequence of "Spy Game" got my blood pumping, and I for one was surprised to find this thriller intriguing and engaging from start to finish. Vaulting from CIA headquarters to Hong Kong to war-torn Vietnam to Beirut to seemingly dozens of European hot spots in the years between, the story dashes back and forth in time to reveal truths and half-truths of two agents played by Redford and Pitt. The "game" of the title refers both to the life and death art of international espionage (chillingly highlighted -- or is it lowlighted? -- by American-enlisted suicide bombers), as well as the game Redford plays with the CIA executives as he weaves his version of events regarding his former protege. Suspend your implausibility detectors for a couple hours and discard some of the more flashy-for-flashy's-sake effects (how many times to we really need that gyro-scope-whip-circling shot?). But overall, it's pretty fun -- an above-average action-thriller.
