'The reason people like violence' –
explains Turing in ‘The Imitation Game’ – 'is because it feels good and humans
find it deeply satisfying. When the satisfaction is removed, violence and
cruelty tend to become hollow'. Alan Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is
shown trying to break the Enigma code, used by the Nazis during the Second
World War to control and communicate with their troops across Europe, while
facing the usual resentment that is faced by geniuses who more often than not
end up being labelled odd. After an hour and a half of entertainment the movie leaves
us sad (for the second time in January)
and critical of humanity and its unrelenting persecution of the majority
perception of normality.
‘The Imitation Game’ is a movie
that is not to be missed, if the obvious current form of Benedict Cumberbatch
isn’t reason enough then there are quite a few reasons that assert said
sentiment – Morten Tydlums direction, Graham Moore’s screenplay adapted from
the book ‘Alan Turing – The Enigma’ and last but not least Alexandre Desplats haunting
soundtrack. The single dialogue that I found annoying because of its repetition
forms the core of the movie – Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything
of who do the things that no one imagines. As has been made obvious by the
previews, the movie revolves around the small group of people, more
specifically Alan Turing, who designed a code breaking machine as part of the
British War effort and led to the ending of the Second World War. Without
giving away any details the movie also deals with the delicate and deserved rights
of homosexuals. Homosexuality as a behavioral pattern has been with us for ages
and yet there are laws declaring it illegal(still) in parts of the world. One
such (thankfully now obsolete) law cut short the life of Alan Turing, the man
who pioneered digital computers and
ironically the winner of the Order of the British Empire for services rendered
during the war. In showcasing the life of this unsung genius ‘The Imitation
Game’ highlights the immensely ‘too little too late’ nature of the so called
‘Royal Pardon’ granted to Alan Turing by the Queen in 2013.
Benedict Cumberbatch is not new
to playing iconic characters or dragons. As Sherlock, Khan Noonien Singh and as
Smaug he gave us performances that brought joy to a viewer interested in the
study of forceful personalities and their meticulous portrayal on screen. While
it is excusable to initially be reminded of a more introverted Sherlock(if that
is possible) when seeing Cumberbatch on screen as Turing, it is inexcusable if
within the span of about 15 minutes, his nuanced and studied take cannot be
appreciated. In the glassiness of his eyes, in the less flamboyant diction, in
the dentures worn to take away the sharpness of his face and to influence his
speech, Cumberbatch is at his best in conveying the genius behind his arrogant
façade while still making the viewer sense his vulnerability and the melancholy
within. The brilliant cast is augmented by Keira Knightleys intelligent
portrayal of Joan Clarke, Turings partner during their work in Bletchley Park.
Clarke is recruited by Turing after his elevation to head of the project and
she works with him in breaking Enigma and more importantly in connecting him more
with his project mates. The latter group has among them Matthew Goode playing
the dashing Hugh Alexander and Allen Leech playing John Cairncross, all of them
under the watchful beady eyes of the MI6 and its head Stewart Menzies played
brilliantly by Mark Strong.
Turing is introduced to us as a
calculatedly arrogant mathematical genius volunteering for work in Bletchley
Park and reluctantly being allowed to join the group working on breaking Enigma
by Commander Deniston(Charles Dance). What follows is history with a few
dramatic overtones but largely a study of the nature of Alan Turing and his
work. Given that his work and ideas have been kept secret for over 50 years and
have been brought to the fore only recently the movie allows us to glance into
the tense inner workings of the team that managed to solve what was regarded by
the world as an unbreakable code. Morten Tydlum in his debut English feature
makes sure the movie does not seem like a science lecture while including a decent
amount of technical knowledge for the
enthusiasts (though I would have liked Keira Knightley to pronounce Euler the
right way). The production values are excellent starting from the look and feel
of Britain during the war, specifically during the Blitz down to the costumes of the cast and extras. Alexandre Desplat
delivers yet another beautiful soundtrack with melodic flair conveying the
tension underlying in the narrative while never missing the gravity of the
situation.
In one of his best performances,
Benedict Cumberbatch reduces us to tears in some of the sequences, the best of
which he shares with Keira Knightley. As a genius mathematician who’s love has
been shared ironically as a binary split between a man and a machine both of
which have been transitory in his life, Cumberbatch conveys the loneliness that
has been wrought upon him not only by himself but by society as a whole. As a
subject of investigation by detectives who are brought to his doorstep after
complaints of a break in, Turing’s dismissal of them only provokes them into
searching for skeletons in his closet. He is seen remarking upon the toxic
nature of cyanide which is now suspected as the means of his suicide at the
young age of 41. The Turing test and Turing machines, both terms deserving of a
google search and thorough read are but two of the massive advances in
mathematical machines and science showcasing what could have been if only
Turing were not the subject of societal castigation. In composing this review
with automatic font setting and formatting and the easiness with which I am
able to reach you, esteemed reader, we have both Turing’s immortal genius to
thank.
Four Stars
No comments:
Post a Comment