Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2013)

[bigburner]

This film is a harmless bit of fun. Watching it definitely makes 1 hour and 45 minutes go faster than attending a PowerPoint presentation about my company’s go-to-market strategy. If the film had been directed by Joe Schmuck I would have understood, but it wasn’t. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh whom I rather admire. How can such a talented man be responsible for such a lowbrow film? Kenneth, I can only presume that the studio had you by the balls.

Nigel.

[wkhanna]

Well, they certainly got the Shadow part correct.
Hardly even a blurred shadow of anything Tom Clancy conceived.
Typical Hollywood drivel despite & proving a good cast & director does not a good movie make.

For example, actor, director, producer and screenwriter Kenneth Branagh, the film’s ‘Bad Guy’, cut his chops in his native Ireland performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company working with the likes of Judi Dench, Emma Thompson & many other great actors of our time of which most Americans never heard of.

Now throw in Keira Knightley, whose acting ability is significantly overshadowed by her infallible beauty, as she stands in for the American film industry’s misogynistic requisite need for eye candy in every film.

Then there is Kevin Costner’s role as a CIA veteran that serves to remind me how old I am when traditionally top-billing actors begin taking up supporting roles.

And what is with Gemma Chan, a CIA agent who appears to be a CGI aberration in most scenes? Pretty soon, actual actors will no longer be required, I suppose.

Chris Pine, well, I never heard of him.
Remember, I am an old fart.
I guess he did some ‘Star Trek’ drivel?

Anyway, if you are looking for ‘Bourne Identity’ caliber suspense, action & depth of plot…..well my recommendation is skip this one entirely & seek amongst the shadows elsewhere.

Wish I had read your review prior to watching this one, Nigel.

[Chris D]

Yeah, I thought it was so-so. My biggest complaint is that it broke 100% from every Jack Ryan storyline that Clancy originally wrote. Was an ok spy movie, but they ripped off the public by putting in the Jack Ryan name for money grabbing, when it had 0% to do with Clancy stories.