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Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows, Jeremy Northam, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ... see more see more... , Tom Hollander , Corin Redgrave , Robert Pugh , Tom Fisher , Edward Hardwicke , Angus MacInnes , Nicolas Rowe , Donald Sumpter , Michael Troughton , Tim Bentinck , Mary MacLeod , Emma Buckley , Adrian Preater , Matthew MacFadyen , Richard Leaf , Ian Felce , Bohdan Poraj , Paul Rattray , Richard Katz , Anne-Marie Duff , Rosie Thomson , Mirjam De Rooij , Edward Woodall , Hywel Simons , Emma Davies , Martin Glyn Murray , Nikolaj Coster

The true story of a major breakthrough in intelligence technology created during World War II provides the backdrop for this blend of mystery, romance, and espionage, based on the novel by Robert Harr... read more read more...is. Tom Jericho (Dougray Scott) is a gifted mathematician who is working with the British government on the development and maintenance of the Enigma machine, an electronic device that allows Allied intelligence agents to decode scrambled messages sent by Germany military officers. But the emotionally fragile Jericho is buckling under both the pressure of his work and the collapse of his relationship with Claire Romilly (Saffron Burrows), a co-worker with whom he's fallen deeply in love. After suffering a minor breakdown, Jericho is sent on a leave of absence, but when he returns to work, a crisis awaits: it seems the Germans have instituted a new code that the Enigma is not yet able to crack, and Jericho is needed to help unravel Axis communiqués before an important convoy of troops and materiel sets sail. It is also suspected that a German undercover agent has infiltrated the Enigma project, and Wigram (Jeremy Northam) is determined to ferret them out. In the midst of all this, Jericho receives troubling news that Claire has gone missing -- and that a file of German messages waiting to be decoded was found at her home. As Jericho works against the clock to crack the new German code, he forms an initially uneasy alliance with Hester Wallace (Kate Winslet), Claire's roommate and a fellow member of the Enigma project, as they try to discover Claire's whereabouts. Enigma was co-produced by Mick Jagger, who has a keen interest in the history of the real-life Enigma project, and even owns one of the original Enigma decoding machines. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

7,931 ratings

Critics

72% liked it

105 critics

R, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Michael Apted

Release Date: April 19, 2002

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DVD Release Date: September 24, 2002

Stats: 339 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (339)

  • stuartb1234
    October 7, 2009
    stuartb1234
    Decent retelling of the real life story of the cracking of the Enigma code
  • ironclad1609
    July 19, 2008
    ironclad1609
    The story of the breaking of Nazi codes during World War 2 is surely an interesting topic. Sadly, this movie does not entirely live up to that promise. The look isn't exactly cinema standard, it often feels like a British TV movie with its soft-focus flashbacks. Those, while tell... read moreing an aspect of the story that's important later on, cost the film some pace in the beginning. The overall good cast and the decent last 30 minutes still make for an entertaining movie, but somehow there was more potential in this. It left me a little too indifferent and will probably be forgotten pretty soon.
  • thmtsang
    December 29, 2007
    thmtsang
    Thriller about Britain's secret code breakers during World War II. Kate is great in this movie.
  • gor41
    September 6, 2007
    gor41
    Proficient but dull thriller let down by an unengaging lead.
  • fb1144932598
    June 4, 2010
    fb1144932598
    All this viewer can say is that was one heck of a ride! This one has all the ingredients. A group of brilliant code breakers facing a deadline to crack Germany's new and improved Enigma code, a counter-spy that may be leaking information to the enemy, a beautiful woman missing, w... read moreho may have been murdered, and only two people who have the brains and the bravery to follow the leads through to their logical conclusion. Dougray Scott is brilliant as Tom Jericho, the haggard Oxford mathematician who cracked the original Enigma code and has the best chance of finding the solution to the current version, but he is less than trusted because of a previous breakdown. Kate Winslet is Hester Wallace, a "glorified file clerk" who possesses a superior intellect and a dogged determination to decipher the few clues she and Tom have managed to piece together. The common thread that brings these two together is the disappearance of Claire (Saffron Burroughs), Hester's roommate and Tom's former girlfriend. The brilliant screenplay by Tom Stoppard is brought to life and fairly crackles with tension from one scene to the next by the masterful direction by Michael Apted. The scenery is authentic, the petty office politics that nearly derailed the critical mission is enjoyably frustrating, the supporting cast is brilliant, and the narrative field becomes littered with enough red herrings and plot twists to keep even the sharpest sleuths in the audience guessing right up to the end. Then to top it all off we have the inevitable love story that develops when two closely matched intellects are thrust together in a bit of subterfuge and the perfect recipe is ready. What a joyride!
  • BlueTorch
    August 5, 2008
    BlueTorch
    An entertaining and engaging thriller which managed to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout. It's nice to watch a film that manages to keep a heightened sense of tension without the use of guns and explosions. Instead the tension came from the motives of the characters the... read moremselves ("Was Claire a spy? How did the Germans know to change their codes?")

    Enigma is loosely based historical fiction: the events the film is based around are real, but the characters and events are completely fictional. The backdrop of the war and Bletchley Park provided effective back drops, but if you know anything of the actual history of the Enigma, this film may irritate you. For myself, I was able to put that aside and appreciate this intelligent thriller for what it is; even if the final confrontation was a bit out of place.
  • Lemure
    March 8, 2009
    Lemure
    U-571 may have been historically inaccurate, but at least it was entertaining. This is as exciting as tea.
  • ileo
    December 28, 2007
    ileo
    Interesting!
  • DrLappos
    August 10, 2007
    DrLappos
    Good film showing how WE actually broke the code and not the Yanks.
  • flixsterbum
    December 21, 2007
    flixsterbum
    Top-notch mystery/suspense/thriller set in World War II around the Enigma codebreakers. That a movie about breaking codes could be an edge of your seater is a testament to the filmmakers involved on this one. A smart script centered around the real-life events of U-boats descen... read moreding on a huge relief convoy in the Atlantic, as well as other events I won't reveal here make this one a great film not just for film lovers but for those interested in World War II as well. A great cast all around, including a breathtaking Saffron Burrows, haunted Dougray Scott, the always wonderful Kate Winslet, and my particular favorite, Jeremy Northam as the smug intelligence agent on the hunt for a possible breach of security. Great, entertaining film!

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Critic Reviews

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
November 4, 2002
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A complicated and intelligent British film with a curious roster of off-screen talent. Full Review

Michael Wilmington
July 20, 2002
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune

Not enigmatically at all, it pleases and teases us -- in high style. Full Review

Carrie Rickey
June 6, 2002
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

It arrives with an impeccable pedigree, mongrel pep, and almost indecipherable plot complications.

Peter Howell
May 31, 2002
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Apted and his crew pull out all the stops to craft a thriller out of material that looks better on paper than it does on film. Full Review

Jennie Punter
May 31, 2002
Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail

The combined talents of Apted, Stoppard and the stellar cast make Enigma a puzzle worth solving. Full Review

Andrew Sarris
May 30, 2002
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

Enigma is anything but enigmatic about affairs of the heart, and is well worth seeing for its elective affinities alone. Full Review

Joe Leydon
May 24, 2002
Joe Leydon, Variety

At its frequent best, Enigma slyly evokes the spirit of classic Alfred Hitchcock thrillers. Full Review

Jonathan Curiel
May 24, 2002
Jonathan Curiel, San Francisco Chronicle

For most of it's 117 minutes, Enigma delivers a powerful story from World War II that's based on real events. Full Review

Joe Baltake
May 24, 2002
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

It's dense, intricate and convoluted in its tight interweaving of love, loyalty, duty, betrayal and intrigue. Full Review

Roger Moore
May 23, 2002
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Pay attention, guess where it's going, and find yourself surprised.

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Enigma Trivia

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  • Mick Jagger coproduced and appeared in what 2001 film?  Answer »
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