"A rapid explosion of gunfire and angst - A true British spy thriller"

When it comes to the spy genre, the name Bond immediately invades your thoughts. One of the original classic spy narratives that spurred so many writers and filmmakers to jump on the bandwagon attempting to put their spin on MI5. With the fantastically tongue-in-cheek comedy that was Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman: The Secret Service and with SPECTRE looming, Spooks: The Greater Good comes at a time where nitty gritty Brit drama is very much needed. After four long years since the final episode aired on the BBC, director Bharat Nalluri, along with writers Brackley and Vincent, offer us enough new substance to digest, as well as developing plotlines present in the original series. 

Over the years novels and cinema have shown us just how ‘cool’ becoming an undercover agent is, albeit Spooks always portrayed the dangerous territory that comes with it. It’s not all sharp suits, gadgets and gunplay -- there are real problems that constantly need to be dealt with. Firth’s Pearce was very much placed at the forefront of the series and as he faces yet another terrorist crisis, he certainly still knows a trick or two. As we follow the division on their hunt for terrorist leader Qasim (Eyles Gable) after he slipped through their fingers during a routine transfer, they call upon ex-agent Will Holloway to draw out Harry as he expertly disappears off the grid in order to get close to the enemy. As it becomes increasingly obvious that there is a mole in the organization, it seems the one person Mace (Tim McInnerny) is more than ready to sack, is the only one mad enough to save them.

As usual with any TV show that hits the silver screen, Spooks: The Greater Good has a few niggles. Undoubtedly, to fully appreciate this film as a whole, knowledge of the previous series is recommended. Die-hard fans are sure to be grinning or weeping, depending on the reference, albeit we are thrown into this narrative rather quickly, leaving new character Will  (Kit Harington) to be introduced with barely any back story apart from his father’s connection with Harry.

As well as being a pull for younger audiences, the Game of Thrones star holds his own, combining arrogance and charm, creating a classic bad boy spy with a get-through-the-back-door, rogue agent attitude. Even so, despite being brought in to track down activist Qasim, Holloway still can’t let go of the textbook like Harry can.

The series, as a whole, has never been afraid to throw us curve balls, and this is no exception. Brutality and viciousness are used as weapons whilst these characters deal with a distinct clash between personal problems and the countries involved.

There is something comforting about watching London’s skyline in various states of dawn and recognizing terminals at Heathrow that agents are running through. Ultimately, Spooks: The Greater Good is a true British spy thriller that will undeniably please fans and has potential to gain more along the way. It’s a rapid explosion of gunfire and angst that hinders on a modern representation of immoral spies doing what they do for the greater good.