Synopsis
A spy navigates the precarious terrain of love and survival during an undercover mission in Syria.
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Cast
- Jonathan Rhys MeyersAri Ben-Sion / Hans Hoffmann
- Olivia ThirlbyKim
- John HurtMiki
- Jürgen ProchnowFranz Ludin
- Igal NaorGeneral Fuad
- Navid NegahbanSarraj
- Aki AvniShaul
- Selva RasalingamSabri
- Shani AvivRachel Kahtib
- Gem CarmellaSabeen
Recommendations
- 50
Los Angeles Times
The serviceable but astonishingly generic Damascus Cover features the usual political-thriller tropes — tough but haunted protagonist, zigzag of foreign locales, rival spies, arcane twists, shifting allegiances, wedged-in romance — without adding much that feels unique or exciting. - 50
The New York Times
As one Syrian character tells another, “Timing is everything in this business,” and timing is only one flawed aspect of this uneven movie. - 40
The Hollywood Reporter
Sadly, Berk’s stale screenplay simply lacks the heft or depth to lift it above third-hand homage to earlier, better, smarter films. - 40
Empire
Setting and performances aside, Damascus Cover is a forgettable spy thriller that bulldozes over its real-life relevance in favour of shoehorned romance and hackneyed characters. Less Mission: Impossible; more ‘Mission: Thrown Out The Window’. - 40
The Telegraph
Despite the clumsy writing and production design, Thirlby and Hurt acquit themselves perfectly well, and Jürgen Prochnow makes an enjoyably ripe appearance as a former Nazi who unwittingly helps direct Ari towards his target. - 40
The Guardian
The twist ending is muddled, and has a rather bland and emollient equivalence between intelligence agencies. - 38
Slant Magazine
The film trots out thinly conceived villains and a murky plot twists that leave crucial details needlessly shrouded in mystery. - 30
Variety
Unfortunately, Berk’s movie is too plodding and predictable to generate anything more than a modest level of suspense; worse, it lacks enough excitement to qualify even as instantly forgettable popcorn entertainment.
