On Rotten Tomatoes, Black Bag has debuted with an approval rating of 96%. This number may fluctuate as more reviews are added to the website, but debuting with such a high score is a very promising start for the film. How much this might translate into added ticket sales remains to be seen, but the good reviews should help the movie get some attention. Critics are praising Black Bag for being visually appealing as well as telling a story that’s gripping from start to finish.
“A sleek, tightly wound 90-minute spy thriller, [Black Bag is] brimming with tension and irresistibly stylish filmmaking,” The Cinematic Reel critic David Gonzalez said of the movie. “Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbenderâs chemistry is intoxicating as they bounce off David Koeppâs crackerjack dialogue with effortless precision.”
The Lead Stars Draw High Praise
Independent critic Clarisse Loughrey, who gave Black Bag a perfect five-star review, also noted of the lead stars, “While the supporting cast are impeccable across the board, itâs really Blanchett and Fassbenderâs film to command, with performances that drip with old-school star power.”
Black Bag succeeds on its chilly wit, and on the cool, nervy appeal of its two stars.
“Black Bag succeeds on its chilly wit, and on the cool, nervy appeal of its two stars,” TIME critic Stephanie Zacharek would also opine. “Blanchett strides through the movie with lioness grace; Fassbender makes Georgeâs robotic use of logic seem like an aphrodisiac.”
Black Bag was written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Jurassic World: Rebirth) and directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Magic Mike’s Last Dance). Along with Blanchett and Fassbender, the movie also stars Marisa Abela (Back to Black), Tom Burke (War & Peace), Naomie Harris (28 Days Later), Rege-Jean Page (Bridgerton), and Pierce Brosnan (Black Adam).
The movie, per the official synopsis from Focus Features, is a “gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife Kathryn. When she is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test â loyalty to his marriage or his country.”

Black Bag will have its wide release in theaters on March 14, 2025.