Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

I'm back! Not that I'd actually gone anywhere; nor did I stop seeing movies in the last two months. No, in fact I have numerous drafts of unfinished thoughts that I have yet to post, but my most recent cinematic adventure was Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

Shadow Recruit is an origin story for a new and contemporary Jack Ryan, CIA operative. Ryan's been around for a long time, first appearing in print. Four of Tom Clancy's novels featuring the operative were optioned for films, and successfully adapted, too. Look at the leading men: Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and now, Chris Pine.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit rings true, on some level. The threat of economic warfare is very real, and we all want to believe that someone like Ryan exists, to read between the lines and prevent disaster. Especially if there's a badass road chase before the end. Ear pieces, thumb drives, spreadsheets, floorplans, diversions, secret meetings on park benches - all the cliches, updated for our time. Branagh as director uses his dramatic hand to tether the action to a story, and to a central character. More importantly, that protagonist is not invincible. He has feelings, and he gets hurt.

One of the things I like about Chris Pine's portrayal of Jack Ryan is his vulnerability. This is not an experienced agent, it's a military man who signed up to do financial data analysis from behind a desk. When he fights, it's truly self defense, with fear in his eyes. It's such a nice change from the showcase of strength that is Mark Wahlberg or Channing Tatum.

Pine's supporting cast is equally excellent, with Sir Kenneth Branagh as Russian businessman Viktor Cherevin, Kevin Costner as Ryan's CIA mentor, and Keira Knightley as Ryan's girlfriend Cathy.
Costner looks good in his suit, and it looks like he's got another action film coming out soon (3 Days to Kill), so he's raring for the fight. Knightley, I think, is growing on me. I used to find her grating, especially as Elizabeth Bennett, but I rather liked her in the ensemble picture Last Night with Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, and Guillaume Canet. Here, in Shadow Recruit, I was actually quite impressed with Knightley's American accent.

Speaking of accents, I was surprised to believe (albeit loosely) Branagh's Russian accent. Admirer that I am, I thoroughly expected to laugh in his digitally projected face... in fact, I found his Viktor Cherevin rather attractive. Oops. Seriously, Hollywood, stop making the villains so attractive. Loki, Khan... well, I'm probably in a minority to include Cherevin on that list.

In any case, it's refreshing to see so consise an action film with an authentic kind of hero. Shadow Recruit also marks Tom Clancy's last film credit as a writer. While I don't know how involved he was in the script, I like to hope that he'd be happy with the reboot. I know this audience member is.