THE IMITATION GAME

Alan Turing was a man not many had heard of prior to director Mortin Tyldum’s film The Imitation Game. A team of code breakers, lead by the aforementioned mathematician, attempt to break a Nazi code machine during World War II using their knowledge of numbers, symbols, and patterns. However, it is Turing that realizes that technology is at a cusp in which man cannot fight a machine. Instead, another piece of technology must fight the battle.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing delivers one of the best performances of recent memory in what’s one of the best scripts made in the last 10 years. A nearly two-hour runtime flies by thanks to the tight and masterful script from 33-year-old scribe Graham Morton (who took home an Oscar for his work).

Frequent flashbacks cut back to Turing’s time at a boarding school in which he befriends a boy by the name of Christopher. As the flashbacks reveal more and more about Turing, he inches closer and closer to building a device that will help break a Nazi machine called “Enigma,” he faces opposition from his team. Keira Knightly plays Joan Clarke, Turing’s go to confidante for all information both professional and personal. The chemistry between the two is so rich at times, you can cut tension with a knife and then turn right around and bask in the warmth of their friendship.

In the past, we’ve seen the scenario of man vs. machine play out in very physical ways with massive set pieces and explosions thanks to action movies that give us material ways of seeing these scenarios play out. The Imitation Game pits man vs. machine in an extremely intellectual fashion, yet never makes the audience feel stupid by over simplifying what the team of code breakers is doing.

Composer Alexander Desplat adds a layer to the film that won’t most notice. The score uses arpeggiating strings and rhythmic patterns that are, quite frankly, machine-like more so than they are romantic. Each note feels calculated during scenes of great technological achievement then turns to a more “heart felt” approach when the Turing deals with his inner demons and trials within his team.

The films cinematography has a classic, timeless look thanks to Oscar Faura. 35mm film gives the outdoor scenes shot on location in Bletchley Park a distinct look that can’t be replicated digitally and adds to the overall timelessness of the film. The Imitation Game is going to play well into the future come 20 or 80 years from now. Not only does the film deal with the onslaught of powerful technology, but also a social issue that many who are unfamiliar with Turing’s story will be taken aback.

Ultimately, his story is one that ended tragically, but the film chooses not to focus on that, but instead to celebrate his legacy created by a specific moment in time. Where fellow Best Picture biopic American Sniper stumbles in it’s unfocused and meandering story, The Imitation Game is a pointed, tight, and extremely well done film. The film is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.