Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a British mathematician famed for cracking the Enigma code. As a piece of history, this doesn't lend itself to many surprises. Usually, a biopic makes up for that by commenting on its subject, or adding something else, but The Imitation Game is a skin-deep biopic with nothing new to say about Turing. No characters are expanded upon, no new insights are unearthed, and absolutely nothing is said that hasn't been said repeatedly before. Sure, it ends on a theme regarding the historical oppression of homosexuality, but without saying anything new about the topic, the theme feels played out and uninteresting. As an adaptation, it's telling that the film is based on a biography, because the presiding feel is that of a novel adaptation.
Still, at least it's a detailed adaptation. There's a lot of attention put into the sets and the costumes, and nothing feels phony. The film has a brown colour palette, made to look somewhat like a film or photograph of the era. It's not a pure callback and more a stylistic choice, as the film is still shot in a typical high definition, but it does make the film more visually interesting. Not that it needs help, as sets are authentic-feeling and detailed. There's a general impression that a lot of money went into the film, given the amount of talent amassed on-screen and the general complexity of the sets. Now, while the sets are complex, they're not distracting, like an over-crowded set can be. Distractions are in fact rare, with the actors generally being the focal point of the scene.
Speaking of which, there are some great performances in this film, but none so superb as Cumberbatch's. His performance is one that will inevitably gain him a lot of attention come the Oscars, and it's not hard to see why. Cumberbatch plays the Turing that writer Graham Moore has created with ease, fitting into the role so naturally it almost appears that the famed actor was meant to play it. He dominates the screen, filling his performances with emotion and subtlety that raises the movie above what Moore has written. His co-stars are also excellent, a little less comfortable in their shoes, but the comparison isn't entirely fair. Each of these performances would be a stand-out in a different film, and the quality of the acting keeps the effects on-screen engaging and compelling.
And yet, the script has all these talented actors reading out a series of generic movie lines and famous quotes. It's not necessarily a bad script, but so many lines just feel like lines from a movie. The proficiency of the actors gives the dialogue an organic feel not afforded by the script, which often comes of like it was written with one of the computers the film's subject helped pioneer. Conversely, the story is quite compelling, but that's because the real-life story at the centre of the film is so great. There's nothing added to make the story any better, but left to its own devices this tale is ultimately enough, if barely.
Certainly, though, The Imitation Game isn't badly made at all. Director Morten Tyldum arranges his sets very carefully, and pushes the actors on screen to the peak of their ability. There's a consistent style throughout, but that style appears to be "Oscar bait". The period is recreated in great detail, littered with just the right props to feel authentic, which is different from being authentic. These are very well arranged sets, which show a fair deal of talent from the director. Seeing what he does next (I have not watched his debut, Headhunters) will be interesting, and we can all hope he brings a more ambitious story next time.
The Imitation Game is far from the worst film to watch at the end of 2014, but it's hard not to feel disappointed. The film is at least entertaining, and very well made for what it does, but the problem is that it doesn't do enough. It's a reverential take on an inherently great story that has absolutely nothing to say about the story in question. Despite its very high praise, the film is simply not one of 2014's standouts.
7/10
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