Film Review: ‘The Rhythm Section’: As Far From James Bond as You Can Get

BY MARK JACKSON

Print Review

R | 1h 49min | Action, Drama, Mystery | 31 January 2020 (USA)

“The Rhythm Section” is the next step in the ongoing deconstruction and general grunge-ification of the debonair, Roger Moore-type James Bond spy movie.

The first wave of this grunging-up began with the Jason Bourne franchise. In the same way that “Alien” updated spaceship stories by smearing grime and print marks on the previously shiny equipment, making keyboards grubby and such, so also did Jason Bourne nitty-grit-ify the tuxedo-wearing Bond-ness of the spy genre. It exchanged sleek, Walther PPK handguns and suave, witty quips for vicious, Krav Maga-based street fighting.

Which, in turn, cross-pollinated by blowing back on the current Bond incarnations—Daniel Craig’s grittier, grungier Bond should really be named Jason Bond.