Review of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) by Maksim B — 02 Jun 2014

A lightly entertaining, stylishly executed and action packed to the level of being entertaining enough, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is a passable spy action thriller which proves that January releases could actually be fresh. An obvious attempt to re-start the iconic franchise based on Tom Clancy's novels, this re-boot lacks the solid presence of an established lead, but satisfies with slick action sequences, solid supporting cast and a sort of overall younger appeal.

Stepping into Harrison Ford's shoes (and Alec Baldwin's ones as well) could be a tough task. The example of Ben Affleck and his The Sum of All Fear would probably create low expectations towards Shadow Recruit if you have seen the previous movies. Modernized and faster-paced, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit once again explores the enemy axis USA-Russia as this works as a direct reference to the original character and his author's novels. This time, the re-boot of the franchise brings the audience to the time when Jack Ryan is a young analyst whose first on-site mission is to stop a secret Russian plot to cause a financial meltdown of the USA. Even though it is quite detached from the books and the recent events in Ukraine, Kenneth Branagh's delivery cannot eliminate the feeling that the USA-Russia tensions belong to a different era and not to nowadays.

This feeling is partially compensated by the smooth, fast-paced story-telling and the formidable action sequences, which are definitely a major improvement in comparison to the previous installments. With regard to the lead actor, Chris Pine is far from being a successful substitute to Harrison Ford, but the teaming up with Keira Knightley provides a fresh look at the Jack Ryan's character. This time, Ryan is more a team-player than a lone wolf and the presence of Kevin Costner as Ryan's mentor further strengthens this impression.

As a whole Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is a passable spy action-thriller and a pleasant winter surprise. It lacks originality, its mixture of old conflicts and modernized action and settings, deprives it from reaching the level of the all -time classics The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger. Yet it works very well as a home video entertainment and gives modest hopes for the a new beginning of this beloved franchise.