Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: January 17, 2014

5.9	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 236 Ratings

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analogkid280Feb 9, 2014

I normally never get up and leave before the end of a movie, but I was so bored.... Kevin Costner reminds me of an old question, "What do you have to do to get fired in Hollywood?" The answer will come to you as your eyes glaze over and youI normally never get up and leave before the end of a movie, but I was so bored.... Kevin Costner reminds me of an old question, "What do you have to do to get fired in Hollywood?" The answer will come to you as your eyes glaze over and you start thinking about taking a nap.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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ChrisMattarFeb 14, 2014

As average as they get, seen it all a million times already. Full of over the top usual BS and mission impossible wanna be, below average directing and acting to match, just a quick hit and run movie to rake in some cash. An alright movie toAs average as they get, seen it all a million times already. Full of over the top usual BS and mission impossible wanna be, below average directing and acting to match, just a quick hit and run movie to rake in some cash. An alright movie to watch on TV while multitasking, nothing more.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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NightReviewsFeb 13, 2014

January is my least favourite month for new movies. By this time of year, Hollywood studios are focusing much of their attention on the Sundance Film Festival, looking to acquire hidden gems, potential blockbusters and, and marvelous newJanuary is my least favourite month for new movies. By this time of year, Hollywood studios are focusing much of their attention on the Sundance Film Festival, looking to acquire hidden gems, potential blockbusters and, and marvelous new indies. These films are generally purchased for next to nothing, and then marketed and released throughout the summer and fall months with the hope that they might land a huge profit. With that being said, while Hollywood runs around securing their paychecks for the upcoming year, the rest of their unwanted, formulaic, and cliched roster is leftover for audiences in January. Now let me be the first to tell you, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is no exception to this formula. Using the star-power of Chris Pine’s Stark Trek franchise charm, to faded out female leads like Kiera Knightley, and ex-Marvel super director Kenneth Branagh (Thor), Ryan becomes a shady, old, and tiresome relic of the glorified days of the once cool Tom Clancy character.

This was one film project we wish stayed in the deep dark corners of Hollywood’s unproduced films, but like much of the industry’s obsession with rehashing established characters and modernizing them for current audiences, the film is a complete decomposed mush of ideas. Shadow Recruit is an overly-flashy, glossed over disaster. Failing to recruit any kind of originality in it’s storytelling and script, it becomes a non-operational feature with actors who are clearly cashing in to a well established iconic Hollywood character.

The Jack Ryan character, made famous previously by Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October, Harrison Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger and Ben Affleck in The Sum of All Fears came out well before all the Ethan Hunt’s and Jason Bourne’s of its time. What differentiated Ryan from all the super-human covert agents, was his ability to be the closest thing to an average, everyday superhero. Mind you, in his newest entry in the film world, Ryan seems to have his fare share of dumb luck a lot of the time–all the time actually.

The film was supposed to be released on Christmas Day 2013, instead, due to an overcrowded array of blockbusters and late-entry Oscar caliber films, Shadow Recruit opted for an early 2014 slot where it seems to fit in much better.

Pine plays Jack Ryan, who we first see attending the London School of Economics in England. After a fateful September day in New York City (I’m sure you can guess which day I’m referring to, especially since all terrorist inspired spy-plots these days revolve around, if not hint at this historic day), Ryan pursues a career as a United States Marine. Wounded in action, Ryan oddly gains the attention of CIA agent Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner). Ryan’s intellectual expertise and Marine instincts, along with Harper’s experience in the agency, the two team up to bring down an elaborate economic scheme that will leave the United States in a Second Great Depression. Plunged into the world of Wall Street as an analyst, Ryan unnoticeably navigates the corrupt underworld of financial markets, which inevitably leads him on a place to Russia and face-to-face with Victor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh). Between navigating the Russian crime world, a life of espionage and the annoying and overbearing requests of his girlfriend Kathy Muller (Knightley), Jack is tested physically and mentally as he is left with the fate of the US economy resting on his shoulders.

Throughout the course of his mission, time and again Ryan begin to lose faith in his ability to come through a hero, and frankly so do we. The blame can’t all be put on Pine, who really does his best with material that seems D.O.A once it hits the screen. Unfortunately, Ryan doesn’t actually accept his mission and take on the bad guys until his female love interest is put in the mix and inevitably endangered, which let’s be honest, makes for a cowardly and unmotivated super-spy.

The film tries its best to round out a cast that is engaging, meticulous and somewhat ironic to the overall Jack Ryan canon. Costner, who mentors Pine as the current Ryan, was first offered the role of Ryan back the late 80′s, but declined to star in Dances With Wolves, which earned him two Oscars. Knightley, who seems to be floating under the radar rather than on the it these days, clearly took the role to get her face back in the mainstream spotlight, especially since her descent into independent feature film fame has not planned out as well as she would have liked since her blockbuster days in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Branagh, who couldn’t resist adding another cultural character reference to his filmography, offers a typical Russian villain with a laughable accent and unintentionally uproarious one-liners. Either way you look at it, from the lazy one-sheet with the exhausted catch-phrase “Trust No One”, to the overused black/orange colour scheme on the theatrical poster, Shadow Recruit doesn’t seem to have much faith.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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GMaj777Feb 4, 2014

This film is a definite no go. I was expecting an action packed thriller with Chris Pine playing a 'Jason Bourne'-esqe role. Instead all I found out is that Keira Knightly CANNOT do acting which doesn't involve dark drama. Keira plays theThis film is a definite no go. I was expecting an action packed thriller with Chris Pine playing a 'Jason Bourne'-esqe role. Instead all I found out is that Keira Knightly CANNOT do acting which doesn't involve dark drama. Keira plays the role of Jacks girlfriend, she was dreadful. The whole story and plot was far too unrealistic, bordering on the Need for Speed franchise. Save some time and don't see this.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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Rising_DoughJan 19, 2014

Major disappointment. It lacked enough credibility to suspend belief, like the prior classic Jack Ryan films.

The writing and plotting was lazy, insulting, and downright ridiculous, even for a middle-of-January summer popcorn movie. Lazy,Major disappointment. It lacked enough credibility to suspend belief, like the prior classic Jack Ryan films.

The writing and plotting was lazy, insulting, and downright ridiculous, even for a middle-of-January summer popcorn movie. Lazy, because there was no interest in researching and integrating any details that add credence to the characters or plot. Insulting, because it didn't trust its audience to possess any intelligence or sophistication. And ridiculous, for the plot machinations that allowed Jack Ryan to do the things he did.

I like Chris Pines, and he was allowed to show a bit of his natural charisma, but it wasn't nearly enough to save this film.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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daltJan 18, 2014

Reflections after the screening of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
I sincerely hope that Woody Allen will not make (and participate as main character in) action/spy movie. I sincerely hope that Sylvester Stallone will not play Hamlet in Broadway.Reflections after the screening of Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
I sincerely hope that Woody Allen will not make (and participate as main character in) action/spy movie. I sincerely hope that Sylvester Stallone will not play Hamlet in Broadway. If "Thor" can support the fragrance "King Lear" by Branagh, "The adventures of Agent Zero Zero Shakespeare" are ridiculous with the same perfume. The movie is great if you go for a very first time in a cinema and you never watched action movies. Is insulting for the genre. Sorry, but looks like a good student who made his home-works, but never learn the essential. I saw a B-movie with a actors. The reason can be the big ego of the director, the poor story...or me. I think that this movie is to the action/spy genre what is the Tyler Perry's Madea to the comedy genre. Sorry to start this year with such a flop.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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Patrick94Aug 16, 2014

Total garbage. The first 3rd of the movie isn't too bad, and actually gets you excited for the rest, but it ends up disappointing. Zero excitement, zero intelligence, and zero story. One of the most boring films I have ever seen.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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ThePutinatorMay 6, 2014

Propaganda... As always. I'm getting tired of Hollywood. I give it 1/10 only for the beautiful Keira Knightley, without her presence in the movie, I would've puked everywhere. Everything else is amazingly disgusting: the story is completelyPropaganda... As always. I'm getting tired of Hollywood. I give it 1/10 only for the beautiful Keira Knightley, without her presence in the movie, I would've puked everywhere. Everything else is amazingly disgusting: the story is completely empty and the cast is limited. I think Jack Ryan is some sort of retarded version of Sam Fisher.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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OzyApr 8, 2015

In one scene, the main character turns to his air head wife and say's "I work for the CIA" and then she cheese'ishly cry's in 80's style. That about sums up this stupid crap!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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MEberhardtDec 22, 2014

I tried to see the second half of the movie cause well I thought if could not be worse.... I was wrong... the movie is awful... the ending is absurd

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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swantoJan 9, 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 rateI 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.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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ClearviewDec 31, 2016

if you want to watch a real worst movie in every point, this is it. I wasted my money and time on this, I even don't know how to call it. Writer is probably dropped out from a middle school.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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