Search - Master Spy: Robert Hanssen Story on DVD

Good Guesswork on a Master Mind

S. S. Yao | Vancouver Canada | 07/27/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the best real-life story adapted movie I've seen. William Hurt is amazing in portraying the enigmatic Hanssen. His performance saved this film from its lack of depth and exciting plots beneath the obvious. Hanssen's motivation for his betrayals to everyone he loves is never elaborated, despite all the internal dialogues and rationalization. Though awkward at socialing and eerie in outlook, highly intelligent Hanssen made his moves with intention and calculation to understand struggling souls like himself under surreal yet intriguing circumstances. Studying his best friend, a strip dancer and intelligence officers from both camps, in depth and in person, must have given him great joy and revelation on himself, a modern-day Faust trying to figure out meanings of his own bewildering existence while finding a way to salvation. Writer Mailer and Director Schiller had obvious done their homework and interviewed key people related to Hanssen which gave certain degree of reality to the scrip. But I still feel somewhat disappointed about the fragmented profile they demonstrated via this movie. Maybe Norman Mailer is just getting old and therefore relies too much on his insights while ignoring the relevant details which would have enriched the story so much more."

Interesting movie

Thomas Richard Kennedy | Spring Hill, FL | 11/02/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Enjoyed this movie very much, especially since it was a true

story, Some parts were hard to believe, but very interesting."

A good companion DVD to "Breach"

Thriller fan | San Francisco, CA | 12/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a good companion DVD to "Breach." Whereas "Breach" focuses on how Hanssen was caught, "Master Spy" shows exactly what Hanssen did and suggests some of the reasons why he may have done it.(Unlike "Breach," "Master Spy" was made with the cooperation of some of Hanssen's family members.)The acting is uniformly good and the story gives viewers some interesting insights into Hanssen's possible motivations."