Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Black BagThe true antagonist in Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag is not any of the six characters present at the dinner party, but rather Pierce Brosnan’s character, Arthur Stieglitz, who serves as the intelligence chief. It is Stieglitz who orchestrates the leak from Britain’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), with assistance from Colonel James Stokes. Furthermore, Stieglitz is responsible for one of the most unsettling moments in the film, which genuinely disturbed me upon my initial viewing.
As Kathryn St. Jean, played by Cate Blanchett, uncovers the identity of the individual behind the Severus leak in Black Bag, she seeks out the suspected culprit during lunch at an upscale London restaurant. There she encounters Arthur Stieglitz, portrayed by Pierce Brosnan in a remarkable performance that stands out among the Black Bag ensemble. In a display that underscores his villainous nature, Stieglitz appears to consume his lunch while it is still alive, an act that illustrates his cold-heartedness.
The Disturbing Scene of Pierce Brosnan’s Stieglitz Eating A Live Fish in Black Bag
A Shocking Jump-Scare That Reveals Stieglitz’s True Villainy
Brosnan’s character in Black Bag is presented with a plate featuring a whole fish that shows signs of life as it writhes in its final moments. The instant the plate is revealed, viewers witness the fish’s head and tail fin twitching, just before Stieglitz nonchalantly digs into his meal. This scene is deliberately crafted as a jump-scare by Soderbergh, or potentially by Black Bag’s screenwriter David Koepp. However, it also vividly illustrates that Stieglitz is a dangerous predator, having ascended the NCSC hierarchy by devouring those who were weaker than him.
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Despite the metaphorical implications, it is the vivid imagery of the fish thrashing on the plate that has remained etched in my memory, sending chills down my spine. If Soderbergh and Koepp aimed to unsettle their audience, they certainly succeeded with me. However, the concept of Stieglitz consuming a fish that is still alive was not created arbitrarily; this scene draws inspiration from a legitimate culinary tradition.
The Live Fish Scene in Black Bag Is Inspired by Traditional Japanese Cooking Techniques
Ikizukuri: The Art of Preparing Seafood While It’s Still Alive
Image via Focus Features
Primarily, the unsettling moment in Black Bag draws from the culinary tradition of ikizukuri, a Japanese technique used to prepare sashimi dishes with raw fish. In the process of ikizukuri cooking, the fish remains alive during the initial stages of preparation, meaning it is only killed moments before it is served. As a result of this preparation method, the fish can exhibit movements that appear as if it is “dancing” on the plate, due to muscle spasms and residual electrical nerve impulses that are still active just after its demise.
Ikizukuri cooking, which literally means “prepared alive,” is prohibited in certain nations, including Germany and Australia. Nevertheless, it remains a viable practice in gourmet sashimi restaurants around the world, including in London, where it could very well be the method employed for Stieglitz’s unsettling lunch in Black Bag.
Black Bag
8/10
- Release Date
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March 14, 2025
- Writers
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David Koepp
