That no single person can** **make a difference to a war, and the best we can hope for is to survive, is an honourably unsentimental idea. Reg Traviss’ debut feature attempts to illustrate this philosophy in two conflicts — World War II and the Cold War — but dilutes its own chances for success.
The survival plotline may be more weighty, but it’s simply not as engaging as speaking code and assassination by umbrella, and although the eras are given equal weight, one needs pruning. Get past this, however, and there are several impressive elements; the performances from Ed Stoppard and Bernard Hill are both strong, and the very lean budget has been wisely spent.