"The CIA has always been an easy target for filmmakers looking to exploit themes of corruption and conspiracy in high places," a CIA review of 2015's "Sicario" movie said, as reported by Motherboard.
The CIA has published "Studies in Intelligence" for many years, and readers can have access to its archives if they want to. The magazine covers history, social life, tradecraft and like any other general interest magazine, art and culture. Reviews on top budget and not that popularized movies and books hold pride of place in the magazine editions.
Unlike other outlets, however, the CIA reviews movies and TV shows with a focus on explaining historical discrepancies, and busting stereotypes, namely the one regarding the CIA's bad guys, Motherboard wrote. For instance, a CIA reviewer has harshly criticized "Berlin Station" — a spy thriller portraying CIA agents in contemporary Berlin, which "is a masterclass in ranting," the edition noted.
The first season is said to deal with torture and how the secret agency is profoundly engaged in it, which is generally not true and a mere conspiracy theory, author James Burridge remarked.
"The notion that the entire CIA workforce is complicit in the use of [torture] is the underlying artistic and ideological premise of the series. Its central premise of collective guilt is both implausible and objectionable," he said.