Review of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) by Thomas W — 02 Jun 2014

Forget the Jack Ryans that have come before as Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is a 2014 reboot of the Tom Clancy character who appears to have no connection to any of the previous Ryan films of the past. While Chris Pine (Star Trek) is the fourth actor to play the CIA superspy/agent, Shadow Recruit is more origin story than anything else.

After dutifully serving his country after 9/11, Ryan is courted by the CIA to be a cyber-analyst in the Financial Intelligence Unit and assigned to his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner - JFK), before uncovering a massive plot to destroy the US economy orchestrated by a Russian business man (Kenneth Branagh - Henry V).

A "routine audit" sends Jack to Moscow where he is quickly promoted to field agent when the mission turns deadly. Complicating his mission more is the unexpected arrival of his fiancée (Keira Knightley - Anna Karenina) who actually thought an impromptu visit to Moscow was going to be a good idea.

The film isn't as action-packed as previous Ryan films have been as most of the "action" here involves financial sabotage, laptops and mind games; but Branagh's direction is efficient and intelligent.

The film kept my interest even though I knew I wouldn't remember much of it afterwards.