‘Canary Black‘ follows CIA Agent Avery Graves on a mission to retrieve a top-secret file from her agency’s headquarters after her husband is kidnapped. The movie digs into the struggles of the protagonist as she tries to save her loved one from his kidnappers while also juggling the fate of the world. It creates a tense and riveting atmosphere, which is enhanced even further through the stylish action sequences as Graves utilizes all the tools and skills in her arsenal to sidestep her enemies before they get their hands on what they want. As such, we have compiled a list of spy thriller movies that are similar to the Pierre Morel directorial in their high-stakes espionage plot, where time is of the essence to rescue those in need and save the world.
10. Agent Game (2022)
Directed by Grant S. Johnson, ‘Agent Game’ revolves around CIA officer Harris, who is forced to flee from his agency after he is implicated in the murder of a detainee, leaving him as the scapegoat for a crime he did not commit. Consequently, Harris has to maintain his wits and try to survive the efforts of the manhunt launched to bring him to justice while trying to get to the bottom of whoever is responsible. For viewers of ‘Canary Black,’ the Dermot Mulroney-starrer is certain to pick up on a lot of familiar themes, not least of which is the agent-on-the-run plot device that surfaces across both stories. It offers an intriguing story about being double-crossed and fighting against all odds to prove one’s innocence in a world of subterfuge.
9. Point of No Return (1993)
“Point of No Return”
Anne Bancroft, Bridget Fonda
© 1993 Warner
Photo by Bruce Talamon
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‘Point of No Return’ stars Bridget Fonda as Maggie Hayward, a young woman who is recruited into life as an assassin for the government after she commits a terrible crime during a robbery. Subsequently, Maggie is trained in the ways of a top-rung agent and is sent out into the world on assassination missions. Things start becoming problematic when her cutthroat work interferes with her personal life as romantic feelings develop for an ordinary citizen.
The John Badham directorial is a remake of the 1990 French film ‘La Femme Nikita’ by Luc Besson and probes into similar territory explored in ‘Canary Black.’ Just like Avery Graves, who finds herself torn between her commitments to her spy work and her loyalties to her husband, a dilemma of equal magnitude surfaces in Maggie’s day-to-day ventures. The two protagonists share a similar profile in terms of their accomplishments as field agents. However, their real problems stem from the emotional side of matters, which lends a greater heft to the narrative when things heat up.
8. The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Adapted from Tom Clancy’s eponymous 1991 novel, ‘The Sum of All Fears’ delves into the insidious machinations of a terrorist organization that plans to start a war between the United States and Russia with the threat of a nuclear bomb detonation on US soil. The Phil Alden Robinson-directed thriller is chronicled through the eyes of CIA officer Jack Ryan, who has to fight against all odds to de-escalate the situation before the worst of the worst happens, which parallels the efforts of Avery in ‘Canary Black.’ In both films, the protagonist gets involved in a plot that threatens the start of an unprecedented World War III, one through the proliferation of a nuclear war and the other through a digital threat. It sets up an intriguing mystery at the heart of the narrative amidst a boatload of gripping action scenes.
7. Anna (2019)
Written, directed, and co-produced by Luc Besson, ‘Anna‘ is an action thriller drama centered on the titular protagonist, who becomes an effective field agent in the KGB after leading an ordinary existence for all her life. Her career is upended further when she gets involved with the CIA, who ask her to take on the role of a double agent with the hopes of receiving asylum at the end of it. The cat-and-mouse game between the different factions in the Besson film is reminiscent of the twists and turns in ‘Canary Black,’ where Avery has to choose between her country and her personal life. The stakes are once again arranged to sow division in an internal sense, which only adds to the central drama.
6. Hanna (2011)
‘Hanna’ follows a teenage girl named Hanna, who has been trained in the wilderness all her life by her father, Erik. When Erik’s enemies start surfacing in the lives of both father and daughter, Hanna takes on the responsibility of dealing with them as she feels ready for combat. However, on her quest, she learns new truths about her relationship with her father that threaten to upheave her identity and everything she knows about her childhood.
Directed by Joe Wright, the action thriller revolves around subterfuge in one’s own family and a father-daughter relationship that becomes the heartbeat of the narrative. As such, both ‘Canary Black’ and ‘Hanna’ build themselves on some major secrets lurking in the protagonist’s background, which later becomes the subject of huge contention within the story. It keeps the movie fresh and engaging at every turn, allowing for an entertaining watch that is equally intriguing and satisfying in its delivery and slickness.
5. Haywire (2011)
‘Haywire’ is a pulse-pounding thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh that features a highly talented operative named Mallory Kane, who becomes entangled in a double crossing, leaving her to fend for herself. Amidst Soderbergh’s slick direction, the movie is packed with bone-crunching action of the highest order, often embracing a more grounded reality over the heightened aspects of other spy thrillers. If the action scenarios in ‘Canary Black’ were intriguing for you, ‘Haywire’ is a must-watch for its deft execution and stunning choreography, which often plays out in a deafening silence. Furthermore, it has all the bells and whistles of a classic espionage story that resembles the Pierre Morel directorial in multiple ways.
4. Spy Game (2001)
In ‘Spy Game,’ CIA Agent Nathan Muir is called into action after learning that his protégé Tom Bishop has been captured in China. Helmed by Tony Scott, the movie delves into the complex dilemma faced by Muir as he tries to figure out the best way to save Bishop without causing the flaring of a major political event on a global scale. With the central attention lying in Muir and Bishop’s personal relationship, the film offers a window into the intimate bond between the mentor and student and how they are at the mercy of turning into collateral damage for their nations when things go awry.
A similar theme of nationalism versus individualism runs through ‘Canary Black.’ As members of a spy network, the two protagonists, Muir and Avery, have to juggle their personal responsibilities in the middle of their duties to their state, enhancing the tension in their decision-making. It helps ground the larger-than-life stuff in both films while also targeting the weighty parts of the story, particularly the consequences of harboring secrets that jeopardize relationships. However, as ‘Spy Game’ points out, it is a matter of life and death and comes with the territory of being a field agent.
3. Green Zone (2010)
The Paul Greengrass-directed action thriller ‘Green Zone‘ chronicles the tense 2003 invasion of Iraq, which was covered by the non-fiction book ‘Imperial Life in the Emerald City’ by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. The British film follows the exploits of Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his inspection team, who are tasked with reporting the stockpiles of weapons accumulated by Iraq. During his time in the country, Miller comes across a cover-up that forces him to rethink his allegiances and get to the truth before anyone else. Like ‘Canary Black,’ ‘Green Zone’ depicts a protagonist who begins the story as a well-intentioned character in the folds of their faction, who then slowly starts going rogue when matters come to a head. The narrative arc might take place in a different context, but the intrigue remains the same.
2. Body of Lies (2008)
(L-R) RUSSELL CROWE as Ed Hoffman and LEONARDO DICAPRIO as Roger Ferris in Warner Bros. Pictures’ suspense thriller “BODY OF LIES.”
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Based on the 2007 eponymous novel by David Ignatius, ‘Body of Lies‘ tells the story of CIA Agent Roger Ferris, whose efforts to capture the elusive terrorist Al-Saleem leave him with an audacious plan – starting a false terrorist group to provoke Al-Saleem to take action. While it may work out in theory, Ferris must keep the whole sham a secret unless he wishes to lose his life.
Under the direction of Ridley Scott, the movie examines the conflict between the West and the Middle Eastern countries, allowing a deeper level of world-building in its depiction. To that end, it is akin to ‘Canary Black’ as both films take a holistic view of the world and drive into the bitter relationship that defines the story’s central conflict. Meanwhile, on an individual scale, Ferris and Graves have to race against time to achieve results or risk losing everything.
1. Atomic Blonde (2017)
Continuing on the theme of robust action-driven spy films, ‘Atomic Blonde‘ stars Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton, an MI6 agent who is tasked with a critical mission that takes her to Berlin, Germany, to recover a list containing the names of all the intelligence operatives active in Berlin. Lorraine is given a license to use whatever methods she deems necessary, a directive she thrives under owing to her impressive martial prowess. Subsequently, the agent travels to the German capital and begins ensnaring and subduing her enemies, focused on delivering results in impossible scenarios.
The David Leitch directorial is adapted from the pages of the 2012 graphic novel ‘The Coldest City’ by Antony Johnston and delves into a taut narrative that highlights its central premise similarly to ‘Canary Black.’ Both films trim away the excesses of other dramatic aspects and instead embrace a single-mindedness rooted in their action scenes. Still, the streamlined nature is more prevalent in ‘Atomic Blonde’ as it cuts through its various twists and turns with the same efficacy as its protagonist. The result is a hard-hitting thriller where the fight scenes are the crowning moments.
Read More: Canary Black Ending, Explained: Who is Kali? What Happens to Avery?
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