 | Norwegian director Morten Tyldum’s decision to cast Benedict Cumberbatch (‘Sherlock’) as mathematician, cryptanalyst and reserved, unsung war hero Alan Turing in this impressive biopic was a stroke of genius as he is truly wonderful. |
| Norwegian director Morten Tyldum’s decision to cast Benedict Cumberbatch (‘Sherlock’) as mathematician, cryptanalyst and reserved, unsung war hero Alan Turing in this impressive biopic was a stroke of genius as he is truly wonderful. Cumberbatch completely embodies Turing, both physically and mentally, coming to terms with the deep-rooted emotions that lie within. Keira Knightley, Mark Strong, Matthew Goode and Charles Dance complete a very strong cast who all add to the ensemble piece with flair and honesty. Turning helped to crack the Enigma code during WWII and no less a national hero as Winston Churchill considered that Alan Turing contributed more than any individual to winning the war. | Historians suggest that Alan Turing's work on the Enigma as head of the team of code breakers at Britain’s Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, shortened World War II by two years and saved 14 million lives. Based on Andrew Hodges' comprehensive biography, the period drama is technically and historically solid and also hugely entertaining. It also details Turning’s sexuality and the shameful treatment of this by the British Government. This crowd-pleasing old-fashioned drama, brought to life with stunning conviction by Benedict Cumberbatch as the complex Turing, who was at turns shrewd, brilliant and also cold and arrogant, is an intimate and moving character study of an ostracised genius. |