The battle for the Oscars has begun.
I was crossing my fingers that The Imitation Game would be much more than a ‘slow-paced’ character driven movie – feeling (at the time) in the mood for something a bit more intense. It turns out this IS much more. This is a war biopic filled with mystery and suspense – and an A-List cast to top it off.
The Imitation Game tells the remarkably true story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), a world-class mathematician. The genius was recruited by the British Government during the early stages of the Second World War in a desperate attempt to break Enigma – a coding device used by the Nazi’s to encrypt their radio communications. It was thought that if the device was broken, it would help Britain win the war.
Alan designs a machine that he feels is the only way of breaking Enigma. But the government become impatient with the increasing amount of time and money it takes to build the appliance. They give the mastermind just one month to finish his project – resulting in a nail-biting race against time.
I was worried that when I saw Cumberbatch on the screen, I wouldn’t be able to get past the fact I was watching Sherlock Holmes. That wasn’t the case at all. This is the actor as we’ve never seen him before. He brilliantly plays this unlikely hero with a tortured soul. Thanks to his storming performance, long after the credits rolled I was desperate to discover more about Alan Turing and the wartime code-breakers of Bletchley Park.
So, could this be an early Oscar contender? Cumberbatch will surely be closing in for a nomination as Best Actor, whilst Keira Knightley also gives a stunning performance as his female sidekick. The well written screenplay and fascinating scenes depicting a war torn London may well see it nominated in categories across the board.
On a personal note, it’s my first 5 star review in a long time. Why? Because I couldn’t tell you how this film could be made any better. In a year where the First World War has been rightly at the front of everyone’s minds, this film reminds us of the terrible impact a second war in one generation had on the lives of so many. A top class script and cast, with an unlikely hero at the centre, makes this a must see film for everyone.
Watch The Imitation Game at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough to find out more for yourself. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times for Peterborough Showcase. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’.
Mikey Clarke
Genre(s): Drama, Biography & Thriller
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Allen Leech & Matthew Goode
Running Time: 1 hr 54 mins
Directed by: Morten Tyldum
See it if you liked: A Beautiful Mind & The Kings Speech
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