The Imitation Game review: A redeeming celebration of an enigmatic hero
The Imitation Game is a celebration of a genius, enhanced immeasurably by a captivating Benedict Cumberbatch
(From Black Bear Pictures)
Director Morten Tyldum certainly has a feel for quintessential wartime Britain: politeness even in the face of adversity, sipping tea and nibbling sandwiches while picnicking on immaculately cut grass – all the stereotypes. Yet this charmingly engrossing account of Alan Turing’s life is by no means an imitation of previous war dramas, nor is it an enigma. It is an original and redeeming thriller about the real-life code-cracker who saved thousands of lives only to suffer the indignities of a criminal.
It was only last year that Alan Turing was granted a posthumous royal pardon for his “gross indecency” conviction. The mathematician and computer pioneer’s decryption of the German ‘Enigma’ machine changed the course of the war, but as a result of his sexuality, was sentenced and forced to endure “chemical castration.”
Despite this, The Imitation Game is surprisingly uplifting. It’s a celebration of a genius, enhanced immeasurably by a captivating performance from Benedict Cumberbatch. For his take on Turing, think the charm and arrogance of Sherlock, but hyperventilating, stuttering and profoundly insecure. The reasons for which lie in the cryptanalyst’s tormented past.
Waltzing his way into Bletchley Park, Cumberbatch’s enigmatic hero soon acquires the funding to build a “Bombe” computer that will crack the Nazi’s daily changing Enigma code. But despite obsessing over wires and cogs, Turing’s underlying fascination resides in the cryptic behaviour of human beings. His social ineptitude is often the driving force of a narrative that bounces between three different time periods.
However, he soon encounters the interchangeable comeliness of Keira Knightley, who plays Joan Clarke – one of few people to understand Turing and gain his respect. Her frighteningly impressive crossword skills earn her a place on his team, which beforehand consisted mainly of inadequate linguists and mathematicians. Their code breaking efforts deliver some breath holding moments, replacing the need for explosive action scenes.
On the surface, this is a thrilling yarn of espionage, but deeper down it addresses the pressures and insecurities facing homosexuals during that time period. Turing has suppressed his emotions and confusions, ultimately leading to the creation of "The Imitation Game” – a series of questions that help to determine if something is human or machine.
Credit is due to upcoming star, Alex Lawther, whose performance as a young Alan crucially helps the audience to decode Cumberbatch’s anguished character. Fresh out of Game of Thrones, Charles Dance also impresses as the impatient Commander Denniston, while Mark Strong is sufficiently shifty as the MI6 Chief, Stewart Menzies.
The historical accuracy of the characters and narrative may be disputed, but Tydlum appropriately exaggerates the drama to produce true moments of tension – a target woefully missed by the likes of Tinker Tailor Solider Spy.
The Imitation Game is not the tragedy one might expect it to be – rather, a redeeming celebration of Alan Turing – the unlikely saviour of countless lives and creator of the blueprint for computers. “Sometimes it is the people whom no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine,” remarks Cumberbatch’s Turing – a sentiment that extends to the real-life genius.
Chris Edwards @CynicalCME
