IMDb 6.2 2012 HD

Cleanskin

Cleanskin

2012
Crime Drama Thriller
108 min NR USA
5.66 / 10
6.2 IMDB

While working undercover as a bodyguard to arms dealer Harry, former-soldier-turned-secret-service-agent Ewan survives a bloody shootout with a member of an Islamic terrorist cell who steals Harry's briefcase…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Paula Turnbull / Emily Perowne / Jude Campbell / Ben Burt / Hadi Hajaig / Rebecca Sheridan
Starring
Sean Bean / Abhin Galeya / Charlotte Rampling / Peter Polycarpou / Tuppence Middleton / Tom Burke / Sam Douglas / Michelle Ryan

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

gritty intense competent serious action-packed predictable tense dark grounded solid methodical

Reviews

G
Genevieve Bell
Apr 25, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Sean Bean is perfectly cast as Ewan, a former soldier grappling with the moral ambiguities of his secret service work in Cleanskin. The film eschews flashy spycraft for a grittier, more grounded approach to a high-stakes mission involving…

R
Reginald Finch
Apr 25, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Cleanskin offers a straightforward, action-oriented narrative driven by Sean Bean's capable portrayal of a secret agent on a critical mission. The film's strength lies in its commitment to a serious tone, exploring the dangerous stakes of retrieving stolen…

I
Isabelle Dubois
Apr 25, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

In Cleanskin, Sean Bean delivers a performance that is both physically commanding and emotionally resonant, embodying the weary operative Ewan with conviction. The film distinguishes itself through its unflinching depiction of the grim realities of counter-terrorism, eschewing overt…

M
Marcus Thorne
Apr 25, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

Cleanskin presents a rather by-the-numbers thriller, relying heavily on Sean Bean's dependable performance to carry its narrative weight. The plot, concerning the retrieval of stolen explosives from a terrorist cell, offers little in the way of genuine surprise.…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 25, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Sean Bean anchors Cleanskin with his characteristic stoic intensity, portraying Ewan as a man burdened by his past and driven by duty. The film operates as a competent, if somewhat familiar, espionage thriller. While the plot involving Semtex…

FAQs

Beyond the surface-level action of a secret agent pursuing terrorists, Cleanskin likely touches upon the moral complexities inherent in such clandestine work. The protagonist's background as a former soldier transitioning to secret service suggests potential exploration of duty, sacrifice, and the psychological toll of operating in morally grey areas. The confrontation with a terrorist cell also hints at themes of ideological conflict and the fight against extremism.