Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit [DVD]

Jack Ryan reborn after the Harrison Ford days.Many have played Jack Ryan but I don't think quite like this. It looks at how Jack was injured, how he became wary of flying, his first encounter with his wife to be and his first assignment. Dropped into the deep end but made for the world we live in. There is hope there will be more Jack Ryan's with Chris Pine but so far it looks unlikely.You have some amazing talent with the Russian bad guy being played by Kenneth Branagh. He does a convincing and very excellent job and it really enhances the film, along with Chris Pine as Jack Ryan and Keira Knightley as Jack's future wife, with Kevin Costner as Jack's boss. There is power in their performances that really add to the film.The story moves quickly and although on the long side you don't notice it. Action, romance and intrigue rolled up into one incredible film.Quality of bluray is excellent in sound and picture with some great bonus material.

Excellent item , will definitely purchase from again 👌

I liked Patriot Games. I liked Clear and Present Danger. I loved The Sum of All Fears. I do like Chris Pine. I like Kevin Costner. I can tolerate Keira Knightley (here she is pretty amazing and lovely). Kenneth Branagh, like Costner, is a class act. This film is taut, tense and terrific. And exciting. It may lack the bomb in Baltimore of Sum but it has a wicked sense of dread running through it. Branagh's direction is excellent. His performance as an actor is brilliant. Chris is the kind of hero that you can genuinely root for. There aren't any fiery explosions here, in fact there's only one explosion in the entire film. However there's enough double dealing and brutal tension to make up for that. As with any film of this kind I'm not sure I followed what was going on but it suet does look, and sound, great. Keira is quite a good heroine/ damsel in distress and she can scream too. The second unit team did a magnificent job of the action set pieces. Kenneth Branagh makes for an awesome baddie. And his ruskie accent is on the money. As is Knightley's American accent. There's some moderately strong violence here but it's brief and unbloody. I even felt sorry for the bad guys at the end. Commentary by Branagh and deleted / extended scenes are just the tip of the iceberg as far as extras go.

Fantastic

Excellent

Chris Pine would be the perfect Jack Ryan to reboot the series - and I liked them all. But since this film didn't make enough there won't be a second with Chris. Keira Knightly also does a terrific job as Cathy, but it is Kevin Costner who almost steals the film. The extras are all great, and the Blu Ray edition is sharp.Still wish there would have been a sequel!

Product was well packed and arrived on time, thoroughly enjoyed the film too, the elements of suspense and premise of the story really worked well. Happy with this purchase.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit spies on Bond to replicate aspects and become re-Bourne. Clancy’s series of intense novels involving CIA analyst turned operative Jack Ryan have had several adaptations in the past. A film franchise that suddenly, after ‘The Sum of All Fears’, became dormant for over a decade. With cinema evolving and experimenting with action sequences, Jack Ryan had seemingly retired from fieldwork, unable to compete with the big boys. Then, a reboot was commissioned. This reboot, to be exact. Having no relation to any of Clancy’s existing work. An original story that had no limitations. The end result? Meh. It’s fine. But much like a shadow, it disappears in the nightfall of Moscow. After a spinal injury during Operation Enduring Freedom, Jack Ryan is recruited as a CIA analyst only to then be brought forward as an operative to uncover fraudulent behaviour from a Russian tycoon who seeks to collapse the American economy.Actor/director Branagh proves he is a versatile talent. From tackling classic Shakespeare to whimsical Marvel productions. The thespian is a, and please do excuse the pun, Jack of all trades. Directing a plausible central scenario that feels apt for the modern financial climate. It’s not a case of constant combat for the sake of having two guys throw fists at each other, there is some intelligence buried within. An imminent financial collapse after a staged terrorist attack on Wall Street is credible, and Branagh’s sleek direction consistently places this scenario at the forefront.The problem however, is Ryan’s transition between analyst to operative. The first half of the feature showcases some dedicated character development for Ryan and his fiancée. A barbed relationship weighed down by Ryan’s career secrecy which Muller convinces herself is actually participating in an affair. Then, Ryan goes to Moscow without any real explanation, because apparently he is the only person best suited to job. And gradually, with each passing minute, the spy thrills become more generic and less engaging. His first kill, despite having no training in fieldwork, is against a hitman double his size. Then, after confronting the sinister Cherevin in his lavish office, Muller decides to conveniently fly herself to Moscow to challenge her fiancé over the accused adultery. Unfortunately, she comes across as the most needy individual ever, likening Knightley’s usual prowess to a mere object. The CIA then involve her (let’s be honest, they wouldn’t) and it just becomes an absolute mess. Seamless infiltration leads to a mediocre car chase which then leads to the climactic punch out.Each narrative stepping stone is executed to the most precise calculation, yet lacking genuine thrills. Several edited scenes were messy and obviously had no relation to the previous location, most notably the exploding van. However, Pine’s committed central performance was enough to level out these prominent errors, even if his tense face exudes a constipated look and thus further distracting me. Knightley’s talents were offensively wasted, and Branagh’s heavy Russian voice resembled a mediocre pantomime villain. He’s no Vladimir Putin, let’s just say that.As a reboot, Shadow Recruit didn’t exactly tear down the Kremlin with its tour-de-force spy shenanigans. Yet it’s not terrible in the slightest. Jack Ryan, much like the man himself, is fine. Enjoyable to watch, but utterly forgettable the next day.