Earlier this week, the Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol teaser trailer burst onto the scene, promising yet another explosive thrill ride with Tom Cruise in kick-ass mode. Those of you who like your spy games on the more cerebral side are probably (or will be) looking forward to another film: Tomas Alfredson's adaptation of the John Le Carré novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

An international teaser trailer has been unveiled for Alfredson's film - and like his cinematic take on Let the Right One In, it suggests that this too will be an ominous and atmospheric period drama/thriller.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy takes place during the Cold War and revolves around semi-retired espionage agent George Smiley (Gary Oldman), who returns to duty in order to uncover a Soviet spy - one who has managed to nestle their way into the upper ranks of Britain's MI6.

Alfredson has assembled a marvelous cast of actors to star in his old-fashioned spy thriller, including Oldman, Oscar-winner Colin Firth (The King's Speech), Mark Strong (Green Lantern), Tom Hardy (Inception), Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse), Toby Jones (Captain America), Ciarán Hinds (Munich), and John Hurt (V for Vendetta).

Check out the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy teaser trailer (for a HD version, head over to The Guardian) below:

Much like he did with Let the Right One In, Alfredson appears to have captured the look and tone of Cold War-era Europe in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy with excellent attention to detail. Everything from the actors' appearance, surroundings, and even the old-school recording technology looks and feels quite authentic to the time period.

There's also a genuine sense of slow-burn tension that simmers throughout the Tinker footage; between the bleak color scheme of the cinematography and the air of unease that lingers throughout the teaser trailer, there's a lot of potential for the film to be an excellent spy thriller that engages audiences through the use of smoke-and-mirror plot mechanics - instead of grand set piece and action spectacles (a la Mission: Impossible 4). It's a different, but welcome, reprieve for those who like watching movies where covert operatives actually... well, behave in a covert manner.

When Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was screened earlier this year at the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival, word began to circulate that Oldman's turn as the weary but experienced agent Smiley is a "tour de force" performance. Perhaps this will be the year that the decorated character actor finally earns himself an Academy Award nomination (and then some) for his efforts.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is scheduled to hit U.S. theaters on November 18th, 2011.

Source: The Guardian