Kaspar Barfoed is the Danish director whose debut The Numbers Station is an actual rip-off of Daniel Espinosa's Safe House. While Espinosa is Swedish he also hails from the Danish film scene since he studied film school there so I guess the fact that he not only made the rip-off of a far superior film but also of a compatriot's Hollywood debut, makes Barfoed's entry into the English-speaking game quite humiliating. Truth be told, I am very surprised that Barfoes's debut is such a lukewarm concept since Kandidaten did well, got picked up for a remake and Barfoed himself was attached to a handful of projects.
The Numbers Station shares not only the plot with Safe House but also Liam Cunningham in a role of a seasoned professional spy. It only adds to this overwhelming feeling of deja vu.
The Numbers Station feels like an extended TV pilot. John Cusack and Malin Akerman seem to be fully focused on their roles but the screenplay is simply underdeveloped and even Barfoed's very decent direction cannot elevate this material.
Cusack's role of CIA hit-man has nothing to do with stuff that he delivered on this same subject in Grosse Point Blank or War Inc in particular. Obviously, this film is his step towards DTV productions, even if this film is upscale DTV.
The Numbers Station shares not only the plot with Safe House but also Liam Cunningham in a role of a seasoned professional spy. It only adds to this overwhelming feeling of deja vu.
The Numbers Station feels like an extended TV pilot. John Cusack and Malin Akerman seem to be fully focused on their roles but the screenplay is simply underdeveloped and even Barfoed's very decent direction cannot elevate this material.
Cusack's role of CIA hit-man has nothing to do with stuff that he delivered on this same subject in Grosse Point Blank or War Inc in particular. Obviously, this film is his step towards DTV productions, even if this film is upscale DTV.