In an era when the country's first line of defense, intelligence, is more important than ever, this story opens the CIA's infamous closed doors and gives an insider's view into the Agency: how trainees are recruited, how they are prepared for the spy game, and what they learn to survive. James Clayton might not have the attitude of a typical recruit, but he is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the country - and he's just the person that Walter Burke wants in the Agency. James regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, James has to survive the Agency's secret training ground, where green recruits are molded into seasoned veterans. As Burke teaches him the ropes and the rules of the game, James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla, one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and his cat-and-mouse relationship with his mentor, Burke taps him for a special assignment to root out a mole. As the suspense builds toward a gripping climax, it soon becomes clear that the CIA's old maxims are true: "trust no one" and "nothing is what it seems." James Clayton is one of the top prospects in the new crop of CIA recruits. His intelligence and unconventional attitude attract the attention of veteran Walter Burke who squires him through the Agency's difficult training courses and helps him to quickly rise through the ranks. Clayton is then given a special assignment, to root out a suspected mole that has infiltrated the Agency. Yes this movie is often entertaining; but oh what a preposterous story line. A new recruit to the CIA is eventually asked to find the "mole" in the organization and it is that "cat and mouse" game which makes this movie so utterly stupid. It reminds me a bit of the old Agatha Christie play called "the mousetrap", but rarely can a movie plot be so nonsensical. We all now that following 9/11 the CIA is the laughing stock of entire world and whether intentionally or otherwise this movie adds to that view by showing their operatives as traitors; though of course in typical cowardly Hollywood style fashion the only reference to 9/11 is to how the CIA failed when "we needed them most". Well if this movie is meant to depict the kind of individuals working for the CIA, it does not inspire any confidence. Hence for C.I.A. read: Center for Ignoring Anything. Hey film-makers please note the danger ain't within…..it is from without, namely a bunch of crazed foreign and other terrorists……but of course that truth may be will not sell as many movie tickets. Al Pacino for instance gives a totally 'ham' performance and is in effect repeating his "scent of a woman" role. What is just as criminal as those who committed 9/11 was those who allowed it too happen and unless and until film-makers and governments start addressing the truth of that and something is done to properly remedy it, history will repeat itself. I just saw this picture last night, and I wasn't the slightest bit disappointed in doing so. The story revolves around recruitments and training for the CIA. The plot takes off once the recruits join the workforce. All in all, it was a great movie. The training exercises were interesting and fun to watch. Only setback about the movie was the ending… It made sense and was neat, I just think it could of used a bit of rewording. All in all, a fun picture.<br/><br/>8/10 No matter how seriously everyone works to make the CIA impossibly sexy, the illusion that these pencil pushers are incarnations of Bond, James Bond, is difficult to sustain.
Waltvan replied
330 weeks ago