This new spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender earns near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score with glowing first reviews

Just one week before it's due to hit the big screen, Steven Soderbergh’s new spy thriller Black Bag has landed stellar first reviews.

Many critics are praising Black Bag, which currently sits at a near-perfect score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, for being a rarity in modern day cinema. "Black Bag is the kind of movie we don't always get in theaters anymore: a brilliant spy thriller with A-list talent and a sharp cinematic scale," said Bill Bria from Discussing Film. Hoai-Tran Bui from Inverse stated, "Steven Soderbergh has made the first great movie of the year."

Similarly, other critics have been congratulating the Oceans Eleven helmer on his recent spy win. "Soderbergh takes the tropes of the spy genre such as mystery and macguffins, and remixes them with style and swagger," said Dallas King from Flick Feast.

The leads’ performances haven't gone unnoticed either as David Gonzalez from The Cinematic Reel said, "Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender’s chemistry is intoxicating as they bounce off David Koepp’s crackerjack dialogue with effortless precision."

But it sounds as though not everyone is a fan, as Coming Soon’s Jonathan wrote that it "manages to be just a watchable movie that isn’t strong enough to recommend, despite some subtle chemistry between the two lead actors."

Boasting an all-star cast including Blanchett, Fassbender, and Pierce Brosnan, Black Bag "is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn," as per the official synopsis. "When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test – loyalty to his marriage or his country."

Black Bag is directed by Soderbergh and written by Jurassic Park’s David Koepp, alongside Alex Parkinson and David Brooks. The movie also stars Regé-Jean Page, Marisa Abela, Naomie Harris, and Tom Burke.

Black Bag hits theaters on March 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best thriller movies, or keep up with upcoming movies heading your way.