Starring Alex Pettyfer, Mickey Rourke, Alicia Silverstone, Missi Pyle, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okonedo, Sarah Bolger, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis, Andy Serkis, Ewan Mcgregor and Ashley Walters

Directed by Geoffrey Sax

Adapted by Anthony Horowitz from the first in his smash hit series of novels, Operation Stormbreaker is, on the surface, another entry into the increasingly tired 'teen spy' genre. However, as the movie opens it becomes clear that this is something altogether different.

Opening with a fantastic running battle across the coast between Ian Rider (Mcgregor) and a mysterious group of soldiers, the film looks and moves more like James Bond than Cody Banks. There's the same casual, black humour to the fight scene, the same sense that at no point is Ian in any danger. At the same time as dispatching the bad guys, he's even having a conversation with his nephew, the fourteen-year old Alex (Pettyfer). The world is saved once again, and the super spy will be home in time for dinner.

Then two bullets change the film, and Alex Rider's life, forever.

Alex's investigation into his uncle's death leads him not only to discover what he really did for a living but also to a particularly uncomfortable realisation. His uncle was training him for the same life. Now, MI5 want a return on their investment and are prepared to make Alex's life hell in order to get it. Finishing his training, they dispatch Alex to finish the job his Uncle began, investigating the mysterious Darius Sayle, a computer mogul about to donate thousands of free computers to the nation's schools...

With such a dark premise it would be easy for the film to be overtly grim.

Instead, Horowitz expertly juggles his own characters, never losing sight of the reasons for Alex's predicament but allowing his hero moments of sheer unbridled joy at what he's now allowed to do. Whether its taking revenge on the officers in charge of his special forces training or using an immense jellyfish as a deadly weapon, Alex is a creative, quick thinking and credible secret agent. Early on in the film he's described as more like a lethal weapon than a child and it's a very accurate description giving several of the action scenes a welcome edge. Which is fortunate as the film is packed with them, the stand outs including the opening beach chase, a slapstick/martial arts battle between Jack and Nadia Vole (Pyle) and the climactic battle on top of a London skyscraper. No punches are pulled and time and time again the film drives home the point that Alex is a boy doing a man's job but is doing it well.

Pettyfer's performance as Alex sets the tone for the film and lies at the heart of a cast crammed with familiar faces. Bill Nighy and Sophie Okonedo impress as the two faces of MI5 Special Operations whilst Alicia Silverstone brings a much needed compassion and humour to her role as Alex's guardian, Jack Starbright. However, it's Lewis who steals the show. As the assassin, Yassen Gregorovich he's a calm, heavy presence in every scene he appears in. The man directly responsible for the change in Alex's life, Gregorovich is a fascinating, ambiguous figure and one who hopefully Lewis will have the opportunity to play again. Only Mickey Rourke, as Sayle, seems out of place, an over the top performance in a film which is notable for its restraint everywhere else.

Balancing humour and darkness, Operation: Stormbreaker is great fun and a welcome first entry in the series. It's confident, assured, often very funny and never stops working to entertain it's audience. Alex Rider's first mission is definitely a success, whether he wanted to go on it or not.