Films > DVD Reviews

The Imitation Game

02/03/15

The actual, real-life story of Alan Turing was utterly remarkable; an awkward genius who was obsessively engaged in a top-secret WWII project to crack Germany’s “unbreakable” Enigma encryption system, which he achieved - against seemingly insurmountable odds - by essentially inventing the computer. He shortened the war by years, swayed its outcome in the Allies’ favour, saved millions of lives, and drew the blueprint for modern life. Yet, instead of being hailed as the hero he so obviously was, he was driven to suicide by a society which brutally criminalised his homosexuality. It’s got everything: challenge, inspiration, triumph, betrayal, tragedy, love, and damning social commentary. Why, then, is this film so thoroughly adequate?

It’s certainly not bad. The central Oscar-nommed performance by Bunglefunk Crumblesnatch is brilliant, and the story is as engaging as it should be. It just feels really safe. There are no surprises or challenges. In short, I felt I’d watched exactly the film I thought I was going to watch.

There are comparisons to be drawn between this film and current Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything, which is also a British film, and also has an Oscar-nominated old Etonian acting his expensively educated tits off as a very English genius overcoming personal challenges to achieve extraordinary things. But TTOE is superior in almost every way.

So, if you only watch one hobbled-boffin flick this year, then wait for Theory…. There’s nothing bad about The Imitation Game, but this lady’s not for Turing.