Today’s quick review: The Numbers Station. Following a crisis of conscience, Emerson (John Cusack), a hitman for an intelligence agency, is reassigned to quieter work guarding Katherine (Malin Akerman), a civilian cryptographer, as she transmits coded messages to agents in the field. But when their facility is attacked, Emerson and Katherine must hold out long enough for help to arrive.
The Numbers Station is a minimalistic thriller set in an isolated broadcast station. The Numbers Station features a decent plot, a suspenseful tone, and a fine pair of leads. Emerson and Katherine must use the few resources at their disposal to survive and get help. However, The Numbers Station’s limited story keeps the movie from making the most of an interesting premise.
The Numbers Station sacrifices world-building for tension. The attackers are anonymous gunmen who are never given a proper motive. Neither Katherine nor Emerson has a visible personal life. The lack of background color nicely mirrors the secrecy of the intelligence business, but it also means that the viewer has little to invest in beynod the characters’ immediate survival.
The Numbers Station does unfold well, with a few clever surprises along the way. The station makes for an interesting prison, and the two main characters occupy themselves hunting for clues about the attack. Once again, the movie’s restricted scope bites it. The plot twists are interesting, but without a richer world or a longer story to play into, they can only do so much.
Watch The Numbers Station if you are a John Cusack fan looking for a short, reasonably competent thriller. The Numbers Station lacks the substance to compete with the better entries in its genre, but it does enough right to be an enjoyable watch. Skip it if you are looking for a deep plot or flashy action. For a fuller execution of a similar premise, check out Safe House.
5.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent execution that comes up a little short.