Film Review: Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

starring Chris Pine, Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, Kenneth Branagh

Watch the International trailer for Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Synopsis

Based on the character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, “Jack Ryan” is a global action thriller set in the present day.  This original story follow a young Jack (Chris Pine) as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

The story follows him from 9/11, through his tour of duty in Afghanistan, which scarred him forever, and into his early days in the Financial Intelligence Unit of the modern CIA where he becomes an analyst, under the guardianship of his handler, Harper (Kevin Costner).  When Ryan believes he’s uncovered a Russian plot to collapse the United States economy, he goes from being an analyst to becoming a spy and must fight to save his own life and those of countless others, while also trying to protect the thing that’s more important to him than anything, his relationship with his fiancée Cathy (Keira Knightley). 

I saw Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit last January. I thought it was very good. I've seen all the previous Jack Ryan movies (The Hunt For Red October with Alec Baldwin, Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger with Harrison Ford, and Sum of All Fears with Ben Affleck) and I loved them all. I especially loved the two movies Harrison Ford did. His Jack Ryan was my favorite too. Still, I enjoyed watching all JR films. I got excited when I heard about this new JR film. A reboot or rather a prequel. Loved the casting of Chris Pine as the young Jack Ryan pre-CIA Analyst that he was widely known for. He's very easy on the eyes too. Keira Knightley as the young Cathy Mueller, the Med student. Kevin Costner as JR's mentor, and Kenneth Branagh (who also directed this film) as the Russian villain.

The handsome Chris Pine in the title role as Jack Ryan, in my opinion, did very good in his part. I liked and enjoyed watching him as JR. Keira Knightley as the young Cathy, the future doctor and Mrs. Ryan. I thought Miss Knightley did very well in her part. Nice to see her play a young med student opposite Pine (they make a cute pairing). It's a different role for her, for a change. I was more excited in her casting for this movie as I was eager to see her in different role besides her typical period films. Not that she hasn't done films that were not Period or Costume Dramas. I've seen her in non-Period films before (ie. Bend It Like Beckham, Love Actually, The Jacket, Last Night, and Seeking A Friend... to name some), but they were mostly small, supporting roles and not as many, as she often does period movies (which I don't mind seeing her in, as I loved and enjoyed watching her in all those Period films she had starred in anyway...KK fan here, since Pride & Prejudice). Also, I was looking forward to hearing her American accent in this movie. Not that I haven't heard it before (I've heard it in her indie films: The Jacket, Silk, and Last Night), but in this film, her American accent was much clearer and sounded better than in her previous films where she used similar accent. Though it was very nice to hear her speak in an American accent for her American character, it was rather strange to hear her in an accent that was not her natural accent. It was like hearing a different person's voice and not Keira, but it was her and her face (even though she was in character), lol. I'm just used to hearing her British accent, that's all. Still, it was great hearing her with an American accent. It was clear and very pleasant to hear her with this accent even though I did missed her Brit accent for a bit. I loved her scenes with Pine in this movie especially the part where Cathy followed him to Russia to find out what he was hiding from her. Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh both did very good in their supporting roles, even though they were underused and don't appear much.

Overall, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit was a pretty decent and good start to add to the Jack Ryan series of films. Obviously, it wasn't the best JR film (still loved the Harrison Ford JR films), but it was still very good and an enjoyable action thriller film (with just enough action and suspense) to keep you entertain and watching on its own. I liked and enjoyed watching it.

 My Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit Film Rating: (8.5/10; B+)