Jack Ryan: Ghost War – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Jack Ryan: Ghost War – Spies vs. Spies: Missions of Lost Potential

Big Booms … Epic Moments … a hero’s triumph; words that come to mind when speaking about action films.  From fantasy to war-like journeys, action brings about a fervor no matter what the situation is.  It can be mesmerizing or be littered with recycled moments of clichés and tropes.  For all that can be said about the action genre … you always know what to expect, but is that a good thing?  In this review, I look at the latest action film to hit streaming.  A continuation of a popular TV series, we embark on a journey that is a cluttered filled sandbox of familiar references and situations.  Simply put it, Jack Ryan: Ghost War is a hollow version of what it means to be … a spy.

When Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is tasked with a simple meeting … everything turns sideways.  With a new threat, Ryan and his team must do everything to stop imminent doom.  Expectation is a trait that we all have, especially for the films we watch.  It is a delicate thought, where we hope for a good experience … but the enjoyment is shaded with the unknown.  For this latest entry in the popular Tom Clancy series, expectations weigh heavy … especially being a continuation of a great TV Show.  The story begins with a big action set piece, before we are reintroduced to the main characters from the show (you can view the list of actors/actress at the film’s IMDb page – link).  After some expositional dialogue, we are quickly thrust into Jack Ryan’s mission: He is tasked by his former CIA boss to rendezvous with an informant in Dubai (plot point).  Through some cheesy dialogue and nostalgic nods, the film kicks into high gear through a mix of collateral damage and spy/thriller scenes.  The weaving of ‘the mysterious threat’ within the bombastic action leads to a whiplash type of direction.  For all the bombastic appeal driven by the world-hopping, car chases and shootouts, it can’t hide the lackluster development of the new characters and true ‘purpose’ of the threat.  The illusion of depth leads to a cascading effect where emotional moments fall into a melodramatic trap, creating a sandbox where the spy/thriller elements are left to surface level treatment.  This feigning on the concept leads to you feeling that this is just another typical action flick.

As more truths come to bear, we get a bit more backstories that slightly raise the stakes.  Even with the fury of action redundancy, these conversations help to add a bit of character development.  This small amount does enough to add some substance, creating a couple of situations that feel authentic.  Once all the cards are laid out, we head into a third act that mixes the race against time motif with the action, leading to an adrenaline filled climax and epilogue.  Jack Ryan: Ghost War is a spy/thriller that gets lost in its potential.  For fans of action, spy/thrillers or the series, this might be a fun time.  For all its issues, it is still can be a good Friday Night watch at home.    

Full Score – 2.5 out of 5 (Friday Night Rental)