The Imitation Game (2014), PG-13, ★★★1/2

Benedict Cumberbatch and his machine. 

Mathematicians are probably the unsung heroes of industrializing the now-invented computer and how did they do it back then? They solved and deciphered codes. Sure, there were some risks for some Allies who deciphered codes because secrets could be hidden in messages that their rivals cannot understand because they are all geniuses. Again, they are code breakers. The problem is how long to decipher the code before the code changes and it comes to show, now, that the mathematicians need to prove themselves as useful tools. It was like back then that the people were "influential computers". Now, we have accountants. But, this movie has shown how far we have come to where we are now especially from a great contribution from one man.

In London, 1939, almost a million people are evacuated from their homes and 27-year old Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) arrives at heavily Naval-guarded Bletchley Park. He is being interviewed by the Commander, Cmdr. Denniston. Alan replies to his question on why he wants to work for the government and he said that he is not political, he does not speak German but solves German like it is a puzzle and he is one of the best mathematicians and puzzle-solvers in the field. Alan says "Enigma" which the Commander reveals it is an unbreakable code that will end the war. But he wants to try.

Alex is welcomed to Enigma. Every night at midnight, the Germans refresh their settings, because they intercept their first message every morning at 6 a.m. It allows 18 hours a day for them to crack the code and solve it or they have to start over. Hugh (Matthew Goode), a chess champion, says that there are billions of possibilities that it can be solved.

Later, they are short on staff and they decide to find new members of the team by placing a complex crossword puzzle into various mailed newspapers for competition for the job. The handful that solve the puzzle are brought in to take the test. Turing has them to solve the puzzle in six minutes, he mentions than an expert would solve it in eight minutes. But, one woman, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley) solved it in five minutes. The supercomputer is attached to hut and try to break the come home, however, Turing has another secret hidden by the soldiers that may change everything regarding his life.

The codebreakers.

This is a highly fascinating movie about intelligent characters trying to solve the most impossible puzzle in the game. What Turing has done for the human race is intrinsically and exclusively transparent for the human race. However, the underlying tragedy and triumph has separated the hidden and personal secret from his talents and that is an unfortunate event. Who cares? Well, I guess the soldiers those days. It is what it is in that world and the details of the government secrecy and how mathematicians work carries the film along well and conventionally.

The performances are strong and carry the film at best. Benedict Cumberbatch gives an explosive and complex performance about a man who has talents in one side but a hidden secret that could demolish his life in the other side. When his story does wrap up in the end, it is heartbreaking. Keira Knightley supports his performance with brightness and intelligence and helps Cumberbatch's performance enough. Plus, she does not have that feminist kind of role that is just there for vulnerability. She's more intelligent than that. Matthew Goode also does terrific work.

Director Morten Tyldum has created an atmospheric film surrounding not just the claustrophobia of just the code-breakers solving the future of the war but also the moodiness and bleakness of Turing's life and emotions that will impact him internally. It is fine, but there are a few things that bothered me. I did not like how the flashbacks were done repeatedly and takes the film away from being a special kind of film and the pacing is a little inconsistent in the middle. However, this is an interesting movie about interesting characters that risk their lives of doing what they do best: solving puzzles.

***1/2