The Coldest Game

The Polish screenwriters made up a story of spy intrigue behind a major chess match, and I must say that they haven’t done a bad job. The biggest asset of the film was Professor Mansky - Bill Pullman gave a brilliant performance. I really enjoyed him in the role of an alcoholic genius. Although I felt that the creators sometimes went a little overboard, it worked quite well for me as a whole, and I was decently entertained. (05/14/2020)

The Coldest Game shows that the Poles, with Netflix backing, can produce a top-notch Cold War spy thriller. Bill Pullman plays the lead, portraying an alcoholic genius, and you can tell he’s having a great time with the role. Robert Wieckiewicz also shines as the former general and now director of the Palace of Culture and Science, with some stunning shots of the palace and Warsaw itself. The story does get a bit confusing at times, but that’s par for the course with spy films—after all, it’s not just agents and double agents, but double-secret agents too, and keeping up with all that can be a headache. But if you’re as good at chess as Pullman’s character, you’ll have no problem following along. (01/14/2021)

From the film, based on the reviews here on FilmBooster, I expected a suspenseful thriller that would stick in my mind for a long time. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. While the technical aspects are generally solid, and it might have looked even better with a higher budget, this aspect doesn’t hurt the film. As for the actors? Bill Pullman definitely stands out as expected. However, the story disappointed me, which I consider a critical failure. At times, the film drags (I actually found myself checking the time, which doesn’t happen often) and, aside from one notable exception, doesn’t offer any memorable scenes (yes, the bathroom scene was surprising... but there should have been more like that). The ending felt overcomplicated. The creators got so tangled up in the double agents that there was no way out. It’s a shame. There was definitely potential here for a quality viewing experience. I give it a 5/10. (07/18/2024)