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We followed his adventures through The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games and The Sum
of All Fears. Now Tom Clancy's most famous character gets a reboot with Jack Ryan: Shadow
Recruit.
The story follows the early life of the CIA super-agent. The history of Jack Ryan, played
by Star Trek's Chris Pine, has now been retconned to connect with the attacks on 9/11 and the
US's military involvement in Afghanistan. We see him progress through the ranks, getting
covertly recruited by the CIA and sent on his first mission to Moscow.
You're not just an analyst anymore. You're operational now.
As an espionage thriller, the middle portion of the film sizzles as Jack's girlfriend gets
dragged into his secret life. The beginning and end of the movie though tend to rely more
on tired cliches. His romantic relationship with Keira Knightly's character feels forced
and rushed.
I would like to talk to Jack alone.
This is Geopolitics. It's not couple's therapy.
The action scenes directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also plays the film's main bad guy, are
shot way too close and feature so many quick cuts that you may get motion sickness.
Oh my god.
Much like the title character, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit seems a bit uneven and rough
around the edges, but given a better script and a A-list director, I wouldn't mind tagging
along with the super-spy on another mission.
I'm John at the Movies.