Pesky Russians, sneaky intelligence agencies, whizzingly distant locales, exotic women with intriguing accents… Pierce isn’t the only one who’s been here before.

Though Brosnan sells hard-bitten like a pro – “you can be a human or a killer of humans but not both” – there’s little for him to consistently chew on here. He’s called “November Man” because after he passes through everything dies, but Donaldson is too often guilty of confusing restraint with sterility for that to resonate.

Only when let loose with serviceable action does TNM flicker, and by then the question stands: when does old-fashioned become antiquated?

It’s rather hard to remember the Man of November: budget-Bourne action, stale plot.

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Pierce Brosnan, Olga Kurylenko, Luke Bracey

DIRECTOR: Roger Donaldson

WRITERS: Michael Finch, Karl Gajdusek, Bill Granger (novel)

SYNOPSIS: Called out of retirement on a personal mission, secret agent Devereaux soon finds himself on the run from Russian police, American intelligence and even his own protégé.