Review of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) by Swanto — 09 Jan 2015

I definitely did not like this movie after streaming it on Netflix.

It is a strictly "paint by the numbers" action yarn featuring an All-American good guy as super-hero. Very much in the tradition of Mission Impossible, this second rate imitation creates yet another scenario whereby American secret agents run wild in another country.

Unlike MI, this contemporary offering is short of the super clever and long on simplistic resolutions. As a result, rather than an awesome swindle that defuses a potential crisis with minimum force, this film is entirely comfortable depicting Americans running wild in a foreign capitol murdering with total abandon. The plot is ludicrous, but not nearly as unbelievable as the facile manner by which our heroes overcome every obstacle.

And untie every heroine just as the locomotive roars by.

Chris Pine is cast as the next Matt Damon and is supported by Keira Knightly, Kevin Kostner and Kenneth Branagh. They are all adequate in delivering the minimum performances required when acting out well worn stereotypes.

Most disturbing, and very much in the tradition of Mission Impossible, is the way this movie continues the very disturbing and dangerous Mission Impossible tradition of conditioning the audience to accept as legitimate actions by the American government which are actually criminal and in some cases, vicious, activities.

Once again, the bad guy is Russia. The hundred years old tradition of Russia bashing, that reached an apogee in the Cold War, and is still going strong, has a notable entry in this thoroughly mediocre movie.

With hot-heads in the "West" ginning up a serious confrontation with the Russian Federation over the ongoing Ukrainian Crisis, we must all be very aware when Hollywood, rather than providing artistic insight,.

Chooses instead to get on board the propaganda express and provide the public with mindless drivel.