When a senator is murdered, CIA agent Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) that is near retirement is summoned by his chief Tom Highland (Martin Sheen) to investigate the murder of a senator. Paul has joined CIA twenty-five years ago and has been unsuccessfully hunting down the Russian assassin Cassius 7. The senator was murdered with the same "modus operandi" of Cassius 7, but Paul insists that it is a copycat.
They go to a meeting with the FBI and Paul is introduced to the young FBI agent Ben (Topher Grace), who has prepared his Harvard thesis based on the killer. Tom asks the reluctant Paul to work with Ben to find Cassius 7 whereabouts. But the problem is Paul Shepherdson is Cassius 7 and Ben knows too much about the assassin.
"The Double" is old-fashioned thriller about Russian assassins that are unexpectedly awakened to accomplish an assignment. The idea is not original and unfortunately the identity of Cassius 7 is known since the beginning. However, the plot keeps the tension along the story until the last surprising plot point. The viewer has to pay attention to several details that are not easy to be followed. With similar theme, 1962 "The Manchurian Candidate" and "No Way Out" are better and better. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Codinome Cassius 7" ("Codiname Cassius 7")
Note: On 22 October 2016, I saw this film again.
Note: On 04 April 2021, I saw this film again.
They go to a meeting with the FBI and Paul is introduced to the young FBI agent Ben (Topher Grace), who has prepared his Harvard thesis based on the killer. Tom asks the reluctant Paul to work with Ben to find Cassius 7 whereabouts. But the problem is Paul Shepherdson is Cassius 7 and Ben knows too much about the assassin.
"The Double" is old-fashioned thriller about Russian assassins that are unexpectedly awakened to accomplish an assignment. The idea is not original and unfortunately the identity of Cassius 7 is known since the beginning. However, the plot keeps the tension along the story until the last surprising plot point. The viewer has to pay attention to several details that are not easy to be followed. With similar theme, 1962 "The Manchurian Candidate" and "No Way Out" are better and better. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Codinome Cassius 7" ("Codiname Cassius 7")
Note: On 22 October 2016, I saw this film again.
Note: On 04 April 2021, I saw this film again.