Movie Review: The Amateur (2025)

Overview

The Amateur (2025) is a film that enters the crowded world of espionage thrillers with a heavy emotional premise: a man pushed beyond his limits by personal tragedy seeks justice on his own terms. With a deeply personal story involving terrorism, government red tape, and a grieving protagonist, it sets up a compelling narrative arc. However, despite a strong lead performance and high production value, the film never quite delivers the emotional or narrative payoff it promises.

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Plot & Premise

At the heart of The Amateur is a former CIA cryptographer whose life is shattered when his wife is killed in a terrorist bombing. Rebuffed by the system he once served, he takes matters into his own hands, using his technical expertise and insider knowledge to track down those responsible.

On the surface, the plot is structured to take viewers through a high-stakes journey of vengeance, grief, and moral complexity. Yet, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that the film struggles to balance its emotional core with the demands of a fast-paced thriller. While the stakes are undeniably high, the character motivations lack the clarity and depth needed to make the narrative truly immersive.

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Performance

The film’s greatest asset is its lead actor, who delivers a restrained and emotionally complex performance. He convincingly portrays a man tormented by loss and frustrated by bureaucracy, and his screen presence holds attention even when the script falters. Unfortunately, he’s not given the material to fully showcase his range. The dialogue feels undercooked—often generic and emotionally vacant—leaving the actor to compensate for the lack of nuance with physical expressions and subtle cues that only partially fill the void.

Supporting characters exist more as functional elements of the plot than as fully fleshed-out individuals. Their interactions with the lead lack emotional resonance, and none of them are given significant arcs of their own.

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Writing & Direction

This is where The Amateur falters most. The film clearly aims to deliver a character-driven thriller, but the screenplay undercuts that ambition. The early scenes meant to establish the protagonist’s relationship with his wife—critical for the audience to invest in his mission—are flat and unconvincing. Their chemistry feels scripted rather than organic, and the emotional connection just doesn’t land.

The story then shifts focus toward action and espionage but spends too much time on narrative threads that don’t contribute meaningfully to character growth or plot progression. Scenes that could deepen the emotional stakes—flashbacks, inner conflict, moral dilemmas—are rushed or completely absent.

This imbalance in the writing makes the film feel emotionally distant, even though it’s centered around such a personal tragedy.

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Pacing & Structure

The film struggles with pacing throughout. The first act takes too long to establish momentum, and when the action finally picks up, it often feels disconnected from the character’s emotional journey. There’s a constant tension between the thriller elements and the dramatic ones, and neither side is fully developed.

As a result, the story feels uneven—alternating between moments of high tension and stretches of narrative filler. Viewers expecting a tightly woven revenge thriller may find the plot meandering and underwhelming.

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Cinematography & Visuals

On a technical level, The Amateur is competently shot. The camera work is solid, and several sequences are composed with an eye for detail and atmosphere. However, the visual tone doesn’t always serve the story. The color grading, while moody and stylistic, leans too heavily into darkness—literally. Many scenes are dimly lit to the point of confusion, especially in the theater setting. This visual choice detracts from the action, making it difficult to track movement or read characters’ expressions.

It’s a case where the aesthetic overshadows functionality, reducing the impact of crucial scenes.

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Sound & Score

The score is atmospheric, with subtle electronic and orchestral blends that underscore the film’s tension. However, like other elements of the film, it plays it safe. There are few memorable audio moments that stand out, and the music rarely elevates a scene to its full emotional potential.

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Final Verdict

The Amateur is a film with undeniable promise, supported by a strong central performance and a timely, personal premise. But it ultimately falls into the category of “almost”—almost gripping, almost moving, almost great. What it lacks is cohesion between its emotional and action-driven components. The story’s heart—the grief of a husband seeking justice—is never given the space or depth to truly connect with the audience.

Fans of the genre might still find it a serviceable watch, especially on a relaxed weekend, but it’s unlikely to leave a lasting impression. With sharper writing and more attention to emotional authenticity, The Amateur could have been something truly memorable.

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⭐ Rating: 2.5 out of 5

> Pros: Strong lead performance, solid cinematography
Cons: Weak dialogue, underdeveloped emotional core, uneven pacing, overly dark visuals