By

Bastille Day

Elba elevates average actioner

Perfunctory political-thriller plot has an American picker of tourist pockets in Paris (Richard Madden) grabbing a bag containing nothing but a teddy bear. Disappointed, he tosses it in a street dustbin, which explodes seconds later, killing four people. Seems he’s stumbled onto a terrorist (or something) plot, and becomes the target and then unwilling helper of a rules-bending, rough-and-ready CIA agent. This unpretentious, fast-moving, by-the-numbers Bourne wannabe offers little new to the genre, but Idris Elba, as the spook, makes it well worth a look for action fans. Also known as The Take. (92 min)