The Imitation Game chronicles the history of how the British were able, finally, to decode the legendary “Enigma” coding machine during World War II.  This story has been told before, in Enigma (2001), which was rather dull and confusing.  This tale is certainly not dull, but it could have been much more detailed than it is, historically speaking, and it changes focus to highlight the secondary theme of what happened to its protagonist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) after the war.  I cannot fault the film for following its lead character to his tragic end, especially when that reinforces the title, yet it does, at least for me, change the feel of the film.

Morten Tyldum’s film, however, succeeds in many ways, particularly as to how it depicts the consciences of the mathematical and linguistic geniuses who are recruited to break the “unbreakable” Nazi codes.  Part history, part character study, part time capsule, The Imitation Game shines a much-needed light on how important, and how difficult, the British code-breaking operation was, and how Alan Turing’s calculating machine changed the course of the war.  Especially after the codes were finally broken, when the most difficult choices of the war were to be made.

Benedict Cumberbatch is great as Turing; he reminds me of Daniel Day-Lewis in his dedication to uncovering and presenting a character’s depth.  Matching his brilliance is Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke, whom Turing holds in special favor.  They are well supported by Matthew Goode, Mark Strong, Charles Dance, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard and Rory Kinnear.  But it is Cumberbatch’s show all the way, especially when Turing is almost solely the focus at the end of the story.

I like and respect The Imitation Game a good deal, but I don’t believe it to be a great movie.  Perhaps I am responding more to the actual fate of Alan Turing, of which I knew nothing, than I should, for the filmmakers are simply following the crooked path of history, and by doing so are highlighting a huge social injustice.  Frankly, I was expecting a straightforward war story, but that is only part of what Tyldum and the filmmakers were trying to present.  The actual circumstances are far more complex and troubling than that.  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  14 January 2015.