At the Theater - "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" - This espionage thriller involving Russian terrorists aiming to undermine the United States economy marks the fifth cinematic outing for late novelist Tom Clancy's fictional CIA Analyst "Jack Ryan". The film is perhaps a bit too brisk and efficient for it's own good, strangely shortchanging an attempt at an origin story- it's a prequel affair that finds a game cast, engaging dialogue and Kenneth Branagh's solid direction elevating a conventional narrative.
Chris Pine (Star Trek 2009) is as charismatic as ever, sliding into the Jack Ryan role nicely. The 33-year-old L.A. native's boyish charm, intelligent gleam and everyman approach is utilized well throughout, while he's (once again) entirely believable in the more physically demanding sequences. I would have liked to have seen more time and depth given to his character's "pre-recruit" history- important and interesting events concerning his drive and determination are only briefly touched upon, given very little detail to speak of.
Kevin Costner (Open Range) is in fine form (essentially Costner playing Costner) as Ryan's CIA mentor, "Thomas Harper"- it's an admirably curt turn that reminds audiences and fans of the likeable, considerable presence that's been scarce in cinemas for the last few years. Costner will appear in five feature films in 2014, starring in four of them- a relative career resurgence considering that he's only appeared in four films in the previous five years, with supporting roles in two of those films.
Irish actor Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie) supplies an excellent framework for a worthwhile villain as the calculating Russian financier, "Viktor Cherevin", yet is given (or gives himself) strangely little to do. I was hoping for a scene between his character and Costner's that sadly never came to fruition- it was a bit of a missed opportunity in not having these two accomplished film vets onscreen together in a meaningful scene.
Keira Knightley (Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl), although still cute, is as waifish and as snaggle toothed as ever- she's entirely serviceable, though a host of other actresses could have been inserted here with equal effect.
Shadow Recruit is based on a script that was floating around Hollywood that was apparently re-wired with Jack Ryan's character plugged in to fit the franchise's specific needs- this practice is quite common, but fans of the novels and previous films in the franchise may feel a certain disconnect to the tone of the film, the nature of which I never could really put my finger on. It's the shortest of all 5 Ryan films and also the first that isn't based upon a Clancy novel. This particular outing has our hero at his most action-oriented, with a few too many developments finding Ryan conveniently placed at the right time and place.
Expect a well staged, mano y mano death match in a posh hotel room, several tech-heavy sequences, a couple standard vehicle chases, one brief shootout and a climactic scene involving a weapon of mass destruction complete with a digital countdown. Events are coherently filmed, with substantial sequences shot on location in Moscow and Wall Street. I was fine with the logic, there are several little doses of legitimate humor throughout, while a certain sequence involving a halogen light-bulb used as a torture device would mark the most effectively tense scene. This is a relatively tame PG-13 affair, but that's appropriate for the subject matter.
The thrilling The Hunt For Red October, with Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan, would be my favorite film in the franchise while the poorly conceived The Sum Of All Fears, starring a miscast Ben Affleck, would be my least favorite. Harrison Ford's performances as the Ryan character would be my personal favorites- of his two turns in the role, I prefer the layered revenge tale Patriot Games over the lumbering drug war epic, Clear And Present Danger.
Shadow Recruit is the first Jack Ryan film in twelve years- a lackluster box office haul for this film may mean that the character's fans may not see him again in theaters for quite some time. I was entertained but felt the film was ultimately missing a certain ingredient to put it over the top- a centerpiece action scene packing a wallop may have worked wonders here. The film's conclusion elicited equal doses of applause mixed in with grumbling comments along the lines of "But it just wasn't Jack Ryan"...
I was hoping for something more substantial, something less familiar- then again, I feel similarly whenever I sit down to eat a healthy salad...
Recommended
8.0 out of 10
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley, Kenneth Branagh, Colm Feore and Nonso Anozie
Run-Time: 105 minutes
MPAA: PG-13
For What It's Worth-
The Hunt For Red October (1990) - 9.0
Patriot Games (1992) - 8.5
Clear And Present Danger (1994) - 8.0
The Sum Of All Fears (2002) - 6.0
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