Legacy of Lies

This is a decent action movie, and while the plot twists and conflicts can be disorienting at times, the central storyline is enough to justify the explosions and carnage. Legacy of Lies makes effective use of shopworn action movie tropes such as the "You have 24 hours to [do the thing] before we [kill the loved one/destroy the world]" character motivator. While the characters all play types, there's a concerted effort to give some depth to some of the secondary characters so that, for instance, the "evil Russian" character isn't simply a variation on Natasha Badonov from the cartoons. These moments are effectively blended into the script and in no way drag down the constant suspense and tension.

The action sequences are detailed and of a higher quality than many action movies. The recurrence of the lead character's wife appearing as a zombiesque adviser is a creative touch. Near the end, the movie takes an incredibly interesting and unexpected twist when, like something akin to the final moments of Chaplin's The Great Dictator, one of the characters, while being interviewed on a news program, talks to the camera about the necessity of free speech and objective truth in order to preserve our ever fragile democracies and fight back against autocrats everywhere. It's not as heavy-handed as it may seem, and the message is all the more relevant because the movie was produced in Ukraine at a time when it must contend with forces of violence and disinformation from Russia.