The Tomorrow War
2021
Search results
Lindsey Bahr Associated Press The good news is that "Without Remorse" is pretty great when it comes to the action, and there is a lot of it. Rated: 2.5/4 May 12, 2021 Full Review Mark Kermode ...
- (596)
- Stefano Sollima
- R
- Michael B. Jordan
Apr 30, 2021 · The plot of Amazon’s “ Tom Clancy ’s Without Remorse” is so indecipherable that I could just type that symbol Prince once used and it would serve as a valid synopsis. The gist of the film is easy: angry Navy SEAL seeks revenge after his very pregnant wife is brutally riddled with bullet holes onscreen. The confusion comes in answering ...
- A clear and present throwback to '90s action-thrillers.
- Amazon Prime Video Spotlight: April 2021
- Verdict
By Zaki Hasan
Updated: Apr 9, 2022 12:08 am
Posted: Apr 29, 2021 5:00 pm
Without Remorse debuts exclusively on Amazon Prime on April 30.
Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse marks the onscreen elevation of the late author’s CIA operative anti-hero John Clark from perennial second banana to the main attraction. And after an interminable 28 years wending its way through the production pipeline, it’s about time. As directed by Stefano Sollima, the film strays far from the novel’s story in favor of something more generic, but it’s nonetheless bolstered by a sizzling, charismatic performance by leading actor Michael B. Jordan that sets the stage for more action in possible future entries.
First appearing in print as part of Clancy’s famed Jack Ryan book series, John Clark was previously played by Willem Dafoe in 1994’s Clear and Present Danger and Liev Scheiber in 2002’s The Sum of all Fears. In both of those films, the enigmatic Clark offered a muscular, shoot-first brand of spycraft that was an interesting contrast with the more cerebral heroics embodied by Jack Ryan (the author’s other most famous character), with both prior takes on the character proving compelling in their own right.
Although sharing the same title as the novel, Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples’ script pays lipservice but charts its own course (so, basically like every Tom Clancy adaptation since 1992). Where the book was heavily centered on John Kelly (the man who will become John Clark) embarking on a trial of vengeance when his ex-prostitute girlfriend is murdered, with a digression that sees our hero sneak into and out of Vietnam, the film swaps the 1970s-centric plotline for something a bit less locked into a specific era, which either makes it more timeless or less unique, depending on one’s perspective.
Following an ostensibly successful mission in Syria, John Kelly and his team find themselves targeted for murder, getting picked off one-by-one, with Kelly only escaping death when his pregnant wife (Lauren London) is murdered in his stead. Embarking on a trail of bloody vengeance, Kelly finds himself at odds with his own government as he uncovers a plot aimed at bringing about war with Russia. With assistance from Jodie Turner-Smith’s Karen Greer (niece of Jack Ryan’s boss Jim Greer, played by James Earl Jones in the films and Wendell Pierce in the show), Kelly sets out to prevent an international crisis even as he seeks revenge for the loss of his wife.
It all comes off fairly boilerplate, but none of that should necessarily be taken as a debit. Director Sollima (Sicario: Day of the Soldado) gives the action sequences a gritty aesthetic that’s functional rather than flashy. So no, there’s nothing here that approaches the slow-build intensity of the Colombian van ambush in Philip Noyce’s Clear and Present Danger –– which remains a masterpiece of unfolding tension nearly thirty years later –– or the terrifying countdown to a nuclear bomb detonation in Phil Robinson’s The Sum of All Fears.
Instead, Sollima’s approach is steeped in more of a vérité style that foregrounds impact and immediacy. While it doesn’t particularly stand out, neither does it detract from the experience. On the casting front too, the ensemble has been stacked with familiar faces who can be counted on to deliver solid work character work, even if the characters themselves are a bit too thinly-sketched (thank goodness reliable players like Jamie Bell and Guy Pearce can work some mojo with their “enigmatic CIA honcho” and “enigmatic politician” roles, respectively).
Even as Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse goes through some familiar paces, it’s elevated by the presence at its center of star/producer Michael B. Jordan. The actor’s physicality and intensity, previously on display in Creed, Black Panther, and Just Mercy, serve him well here as the former Special Forces soldier-turned-CIA operative. Without giving any...
- Zaki Hasan
People also ask
Is 'without remorse' a good movie?
Is Tom Clancy's 'without remorse' a good movie?
What happens without remorse?
When is 'without remorse' on Amazon Prime?
Without Remorse is a welcome addition to the super spy, soldier-gone-rogue universe Full Review | Original Score: 8.9/10 | May 26, 2021 Load More
Apr 28, 2021 · This film is based on Tom Clancy’s 1993 bestseller, originally set during the Vietnam war, but now updated to the situation in Syria. Michael B Jordan is Navy Seal John Clark, whose pregnant ...
- 2 min
- Peter Bradshaw
Apr 30, 2021 · The Tom Clancy movie Without Remorse is missing the key elements a thriller needs. It’s overstuffed and cluttered, but still lacks scale, resonance, and thrills. By Robert Daniels Apr 30, 2021 ...
Apr 30, 2021 · Without Remorse: Directed by Stefano Sollima. With Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce. An elite Navy SEAL goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.
