While it is a moderately decent film on a noble subject matter, I never felt thrilled, moved or otherwise captivated in a way that deserves over the top praise from other reviewers in my humble opinion.
I felt that many opportunities to create dramatic tension and stunning photography were thrown away as a result of the insertion of ill-fitting material (black and white footage of Hitler? really?) and poor script and acting (Keira is bland as vanilla I am afraid to say).
It wasn't all bad. Translating the challenge of cryptanalysis into film is a challenge which I think was valiantly attempted, though excessively dumbed down.
A number of sub-plots are introduced in different time frames, one in Turing's childhood and one after the war. Sadly they fail to deliver any meaningful drama, again as a result of mediocre writing. If anything they are distracting and defuse any tension that might have built up in the scenes that precede them. As such, the editing did feel amateurish. The ending was extremely disappointing: why use lines of text to depict that which can be shown instead?
Finally there is a rather out of place scene with a barely disguised and hypocritical feminist agenda. I say that because that particular scene was fictional and never happened in reality, so its existence can only be justified by such an agenda. I refer to the moment Keira Knightly attempts to sit an exam to join Turing's code breakers' team. An incredulous usher, convinced she is present for a job interview as a secretary instead (because the evil patriarchy couldn't possibly contemplate she is as capable as men - see how subtle that was? wow) refuses her entry until our hero Turing intervenes and allows her in.
We are also told this female character has a double first in mathematics from Cambridge. If wartime Britain was so sexist, why does she hold such a distinguished degree? And if sexism is so evil, then why fall does the script fall in the trap of using her as an emotional element in the story but glosses over the contribution her brilliant mind made to Turing's efforts? Now THAT my friends, is sexist and the film could have done without this ridiculous and off-topic political manifesto. It was the final nail in the coffin as far as I was concerned.
I shall not watch this again, however I do fancy reading a biography of Alan Turing, maybe something the film can take credit for.
I felt that many opportunities to create dramatic tension and stunning photography were thrown away as a result of the insertion of ill-fitting material (black and white footage of Hitler? really?) and poor script and acting (Keira is bland as vanilla I am afraid to say).
It wasn't all bad. Translating the challenge of cryptanalysis into film is a challenge which I think was valiantly attempted, though excessively dumbed down.
A number of sub-plots are introduced in different time frames, one in Turing's childhood and one after the war. Sadly they fail to deliver any meaningful drama, again as a result of mediocre writing. If anything they are distracting and defuse any tension that might have built up in the scenes that precede them. As such, the editing did feel amateurish. The ending was extremely disappointing: why use lines of text to depict that which can be shown instead?
Finally there is a rather out of place scene with a barely disguised and hypocritical feminist agenda. I say that because that particular scene was fictional and never happened in reality, so its existence can only be justified by such an agenda. I refer to the moment Keira Knightly attempts to sit an exam to join Turing's code breakers' team. An incredulous usher, convinced she is present for a job interview as a secretary instead (because the evil patriarchy couldn't possibly contemplate she is as capable as men - see how subtle that was? wow) refuses her entry until our hero Turing intervenes and allows her in.
We are also told this female character has a double first in mathematics from Cambridge. If wartime Britain was so sexist, why does she hold such a distinguished degree? And if sexism is so evil, then why fall does the script fall in the trap of using her as an emotional element in the story but glosses over the contribution her brilliant mind made to Turing's efforts? Now THAT my friends, is sexist and the film could have done without this ridiculous and off-topic political manifesto. It was the final nail in the coffin as far as I was concerned.
I shall not watch this again, however I do fancy reading a biography of Alan Turing, maybe something the film can take credit for.