JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT Brings Back The Classic Hollywood Thriller

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit looks great. It’s the kind of slick and stylish Hollywood thriller that Movies In Focus really digs. I had the opportunity to hang out on the London set last year, meeting Chris Pine, Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Costner. They talked about how the film had a ‘70s vibe – a movie with a political slant where the lead is out of his depth (Parallax View, Three Days of the Condor, Marathon Man). It’s all about paranoia, fear and deception.

The Jack Ryan movies (The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger and The Sum of All Fears) have always been the thinking man’s action-thriller. They’re as dense in plot and character as they are on action. This looks like a good relaunch for the franchise – it has the ever talented Branagh calling the shots (and playing the villain), while Costner looks to be bringing gravitas to his role (let’s hope that the mooted spin-off hits the screen).

Ryan author, Tom Clancy died this week. It’s fitting in a way that the marketing for this latest Jack Ryan thriller is starting to ramp-up. Clancy seemed to have his finger on the pulse of world politics and the former insurance salesman was in-the-know and even the US government wanted some of his insight following 9/11. The Clancy books always have the action revolve around the Jack Ryan character. He’s the everyman who is out of his depth and this movie looks to be carrying on that tradition.

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit hits screens this Christmas – and Movies In Focus will have much more about the movie in the lead-up to the film’s release.