( EW ) -- There seem to be four big-screen modes for Pierce Brosnan : James Bond , magnetic sly fox ( `` The Thomas Crown Affair , '' `` The Matador '' ) , way out-of-his-depths leading man ( `` Mamma Mia ! `` ) , and action-thriller paycheck-coaster . `` The November Man , '' which reunites Brosnan with his `` Dante 's Peak '' director , Roger Donaldson , falls squarely but surely in the last category . Box office preview : Summer 2014 goes out with a sigh . Brosnan plays boozehound and ex-CIA agent Peter Devereaux , who is coaxed out of retirement to stop a conspiracy involving a war criminal ( Lazar Ristovski ) . He 's also asked to protect a relief worker ( Olga Kurylenko , a former Bond girl of the Daniel Craig era ) who holds more secrets than anyone could guess -- except the audience , that is -- while ducking a past protege ( the stiff-as-a-board Luke Bracey ) who chases him in some rather meh cat-and-mouse power play . ( There 's even an actual cat that makes some cameo appearances . ) Is Joaquin Phoenix the prescription for Marvel 's 'Doctor Strange ' ? The movie , based on Bill Granger 's popular spy novel series , could easily have been made in Brosnan 's post-Remington Steele days , with its fondness for familiar '80s action tropes like smashed BMWs and heavy arterial spray . Once in a while , there 's a certain drive-in/double feature junkiness that elicits a chuckle or two ( especially any scene with an oily officioso played by the growling Bill Smitrovich , the only performer who seems to be having any fun ) . But the utter lack of originality eventually sinks the movie , and the climax has more howlers than a wolf convention . `` The November Man '' may be an August release , but its silliness would make it a non-event any month of the year . Grade : C. See the original story at EW.com . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved .
Pierce Brosnan 's ` ` The November Man '' is an ` ` - thriller paycheck - worthy '' The movie reunites him with his ` ` Widow 's Peak '' director , Roger Donaldson . The actor plays a ` ` ' '' and ex - CIA agent who is coaxed out of retirement . Overall , the film is silly and lacks originality .