A rogue insurgent has assassinated foreign journalists and framed the agency for the bloodshed. As other nations begin turning against the U.S., the CIA must reactivate their most brilliant yet rebellious operative out of retirement. A film by Renny Harlin, starring Aaron Eckhart, Nina Dobrev, Tim Blake Nelson, and Clifton Collins Jr.

In Thessaloniki, Greece, German journalist Greta Becker (Veronica Ferres) is approached by a mysterious man. He brings her CIA documents containing classified information – potential proof that could topple the agency, and perhaps even the U.S., if exposed. But in a sinister twist, Greta soon becomes the third victim in a month, found dead in what appears to be a meticulously crafted CIA black op. he news spreads like wildfire, Greta being the third victim in a month, igniting protests across Europe.

At CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, Agent Kate Bannon (Nina Dobrev) discovers surveillance footage showing Victor Radek (Clifton Collins Jr.), a covert operative officially listed as deceased, at the train station near the hotel where Greta was killed. She rushes to CIA Director O’Malley (Tim Blake Nelson) with her findings. Upon learning that Victor is alive, O’Malley orders her to keep the discovery confidential.

O’Malley wants to stop Victor as quickly and quietly as possible. He turns to Steve Vail (Aaron Eckhart), a former CIA operative now a bricklayer, and orders him and Kate to travel to Greece to apprehend Victor. O’Malley reminds Steve that Victor was his target. He warns Steve that with Victor on the loose, Steve himself becomes a target. However, Steve refuses, asserting that he no longer wants to be associated with the agency.

That evening, Steve is ambushed by a group of assassins Victor has sent to kill him; he survives the night and changes his mind, accepting O’Malley’s offer and traveling to Greece with Kate to hunt down Victor.

An action thriller film directed by Finnish filmmaker Renny Harlin, “The BRICKLAYER,” based on Noah Boyd’s bestselling novel of the same name, suffers from a flawed screenplay adaptation.

Paul Lindsay, known under the pseudonym Noah Boy, was a former FBI agent who spent over two decades tackling the Bureau’s toughest cases, including the Green River Killer and Highland Park Strangler investigations. His expertise shone through in the Steve Vail series, starting with the 2010 debut, The BRICKLAYER, followed by Agent X in 2011. Noah’s intimate understanding of the Bureau’s inner workings, both strengths and weaknesses, and his “in the trenches” experience lent unparalleled authenticity to Vail’s character and the series’ investigative details.

The protagonist’s shift from FBI agent in the novel to CIA agent in the film feels abrupt and unexplained. This decision, likely intended to expand the agency’s reach and potentially launch a Steve Vail franchise, requires significant changes and context not present in the book. It’s baffling how a beloved spy novel could be reduced to a generic action flick riddled with clichés.

The film’s overreliance on predictable plotlines and cringe-worthy dialogue further compounds its issues. The fight scenes, drawn out and irrelevant, become tedious to watch. Steve’s perpetually bloodied face after every skirmish, miraculously healed in the next scene, only adds to the film’s illogicality. Why would Victor hire mercenaries to kill Steve? Why would the agency intentionally blow its own agent’s cover and then send another agent to eliminate him anyway?

Certain aspects of the film feel nonsensical, making me wonder if the film might have felt more believable if it had started smaller, focusing on its domestic U.S. setting like the book, rather than venturing across continents. With a stronger and more convincing foundation, I’d be genuinely intrigued to explore the world built upon it.

The BRICKLAYER was theatrically released in the United States on 5 January 2024.