Spider in the Web Review - Sir Ben Kingsley Add Intrigue to the Contemporary Espionage Drama

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Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film

Published on Friday, 30 August 2019 09:28

Written by Janet Walker

Spider in the Web, from United King Films and Vertical Entertainment, presents a contemporary espionage thriller as the race to stop the development of chemical weapons for use in the Syrian Civil war has costly consequences.

Directed by Eran Riklis, Spider in the Web stars Sir Ben Kingsley, Monica Bellucci, Itay Tiran, Itzak Cohen, Filip Peerers, Makam Khoury, Hilde Van Mieghem, Marcel Hensema and Luk Wyns. Gidon Maron and Emmanuel Naccache are credited with writing.

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Spider in the Web begins with a Mossad military operation in play, the Intel they are operating from is contrived sent from an undercover team in Belgium. They come up empty-handed and run into Syrians and take heavy fire.

The next scene opens with Adereth, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, listening to the radio as the announcer describes scenes from the streets of Damascus, Syria, as the people, those caught in the middle of Syria’s civil war, are gassed with chemical weapons.

A boy steps into the front of his car and he stops, turning off his auto lights. In seconds his car is hit from behind and a female doctor, Angela, played by Monica Bellucci steps out of the car and proceeds to triage his head wound. She suggests he needs to have his injury looked examined at the local hospital. They exchange business cards for insurance purposes. The two, seem destined.

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The next scene opens with Adereth, having coffee with an old friend, Nader Khadir, whom all refer to as The General, played by Makram Khoury. The two dear friends, who know each other’s intimacies, concealed professions, hidden lives, and dark secrets are exchanging gifts and information. As the two depart, we see The General grabbed on the street by the Syrians.

Adereth, as a six-decade Israeli spy, the senior field agent, who’s cover is an Antique dealer, we find out he was also The General’s contact for Mossad and has been doctoring his reports for some time, as he hasn’t had any solid Intel for years.

The day after The General is grabbed, the director of Mossad’s European team, Samuel, played by Itzik Coehn, shows up and explains Adereth is caught. His Intel has been tainted for years. Nothing has panned out. His last conversation with The General, revels the first solid Intel in years, “Spider in the Web” a code name for the developer of the Chemical weapons Syria is having manufactured.

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Samuel explains there are only two conclusions for Adereth now. Either deliver on the Intel or expect a death sentence for treason. He assigns Daniel, played by Itay Tiran, the son of his Adereth’s former partner to follow him as he follows up on the chemist and the chemical weapons manufacturer.

Anyone who enjoys “old school” espionage thrillers, will truly enjoy Spider in the Web. The film mixes the old school ways utilized by a six-decade spy and ate of the art technological advancements which portray Mossad one of the most advanced clandestine agencies in the world.

Sir Ben Kingsley is exceptional as the mouse finally caught in his own trap. With this the most important mission of his life he displays the art of the spy game while he recognizes his obsoleteness as the world of espionage has become darkly covert with loyalties discarded and players expendable. He imparts his last morsels of wisdom, nuggets of pure tired gold, as he disrupts the mental strategy and resoluteness of his chaperone.

The core cast Kinsley, Monica Bellucci and Itay Tiran, each create points of the triangle as each attempt to carry out their chosen objectives. Bellucci, whose loyalties are blurred throughout most of the film and it isn’t until the end that she shows her true self. Itay Tiran, whom American audiences will not know, is forced to rethink his loyalties early on, and if forced to play the spy game on someone else’s terms which is contrary to his operation by the spy book instructions.

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Spider in the Web presents a slow building cat and mouse thriller, a chess board chase as old school meets modernity and loyalties are tested with global consequences.

Spider in the Web opens Friday, August 30, 2019, Check local listings.