As dull as the name
DIRECTOR: Kenneth Branagh
CAST: James T. Kirk, Decoy Queen, Superman's adopted dad, and Professor Gilderoy Lockhart...
PLOT: Based on the character by the late Tom Clancy, this reboot serves as an origins story for Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) - a marine turned analyst turned CIA agent who has to stop a Russian from destroying the US economy.
Jack Ryan is a fairy successful series, and this, the fifth film to be based on the character, is the fifth box office success, yet again grossing more money than what it costs. It certainly holds a strong fan base due to being a character from the late Tom Clancy, an icon when it comes to spy thriller literature. No mean feat at all considering this is the second successive Jack Ryan film to be a disappointing affair.
Firstly, Kenneth Branagh is a solid director when it comes to drama, and specifically the works of William Shakespeare. So it's no surprise that Shadow Recruit's action sequences are exhaustingly average and unmemorable. We saw in Thor how Branagh's direction is much stronger in slower, talky sequences that relies on performance and straightforward editing.
Secondly, Kenneth Branagh is a wonderful actor when it comes to a host of different roles, specifically in roles from the works of Shakespeare. His acting talent is barely felt as he mumbles in a monotonous Russian accent and keeps the same facial expression for one hour and forty five minutes. Branagh probably wishes to spread his wings, but honestly - he's better than this. His stereotypical Russian seems like something from a movie from the '80s when Russians were always the bad guy. Perhaps now the media portrays them all as homophobes it is their turn to be the villains of the world once again. Don't worry people of the Middle East, you can take a breather now.
Chris Pine, on the other hand, is fine as Jack Ryan. He may be a bit more metrosexual than the most successful Ryan to date, Harrison Ford, but Pine's effortless charisma and likability means that he does well with what he's given. The role, though, is a flawed one. The plot is messy when an analyst is thrust into being an active CIA agent who sees action without the proper training, and despite the fact that he used to be a marine, it serves as no excuse.
There are many questionable elements in the plot - why don't people kill one another when they get clear chances? Why not send a trained CIA action hero to investigate Branagh's big bad? Why is Keira Knightley so annoying? People will probably forget to question these flaws, though, because they are too busy scratching their heads, wondering aloud what it is that the Russian's are actually doing.
It's an intelligent decision to have terrorism of the economic kind to be the threat. It's relevant to the times we live in, constantly hearing news about double-dip recessions, foreigners apparently taking our benefits and politicians stealing money - why not tap into the public's fears? It helps to be understood, mind. When Kevin Costner's boss of Jack tells him to explain things to him as if he was an idiot, he should've mentioned it for the entire film. Using CIA and economic lingo for exposition doesn't make the film clever, and people shouldn't have to be spoon fed to understand an action film that is relatively low on action.
There are some minor saving graces - there's a strong restaurant scene where CIA trickery comes into play as Pine pretends to be a drunken buffoon, and a fight scene in a hotel room early on stands out as a shame because the best part of the movie comes far too early. You won't be surprised come the end, as conventions and cliches are ticked off throughout. An awful opening sequence of Jack Ryan watching news at the London School of Economics regarding a terrorist attack on America, culminating in an actor with an awful English accent apologising to him because he is American has the alarm bells ringing right away. However, due to the financial success, a Jack Ryan franchise seems like a strong possibility, but sequels will have to improve greatly if they don't want Tom Clancy's character to come across as a tired, boring version of James Bond.
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