Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Today, while exercising, I finished watching “Jack Ryan: Ghost War,” which came out on Amazon Prime last month. I was surprised to see they came out with another Jack Ryan movie, since the last two films were not good. However, this apparently came out after a “Jack Ryan” show ended three years ago, which I never heard of. How is this latest sequel?

Mini Anthikad Chhibber started her review by saying, “At the end of the fourth and final season of the political thriller, Jack Ryan(2018- 2023), based on Tom Clancy’s characters, Ryan (John Krasinski) saved the world again, left the CIA and walked into the sunset with his girlfriend, Cathy.”

Sadly, that does not stop the lucrative studio heads that don’t want any franchise to stop, even if it ends on a bad note. That’s why we got “Jack Ryan: Ghost War,” a perfectly functional little thriller, but not an especially great one.

The film starts with the necessary action-packed scene, this time in Dubai. Orders are given, and good men are betrayed with flying bullets and stone. Ryan is now a civilian working on Wall Street, taking a nice job, when he is stopped by James Greer, played by Wendell Pierce, the Deputy Director of the CIA.

As Ryan states, he is a civilian and does not want to participate in anything Greet is suggesting, he agrees to meet someone in Dubai, since he is flying out there for work. Former Venezuela station chief and now CIA contractor, Mike November, played by Michael Kelly, is going along as backup.

As you predict, it starts to go wrong when Ryan ends up encountering the MI6 agent, Nigel Cooke, played by Douglas Hodge, whose mission was failed miserably in the beginning. Chhibber said, “This particular can of worms that Ryan uncovers involves rogue MI6 agents, black ops, Greer’s hand in a death by torture, old sins casting long shadows, and Madonna’s Blond Ambition.”

John Krasinski was involved in the story and screenplay, so you can’t blame him for not being involved. Chhibber said, “However, while the film is short, does some glitzy location work (Dubai, the UK), has the requisite action sequences with screeching tyres and shattering glass, it still remains only mildly engaging.”

The acting is right, with Krasinski continuing his serviceable interpretation of Ryan, Pierce providing the seriousness, Kelly the humor, and Max Beesley, as the rogue agent, bringing the danger.

Chhibber noted, “Dubai by night looks like a glittering oasis of light, while jolly England is cute, cosy and green except when bullets are flying or a fleet of black SUVs are thundering by (how they manage this in crowded London is an eternal mystery).”

Sienna Miller plays MI6 officer Emma Marlow, and a possible love interest for Ryan, as Cathy is not in the film. The film ends with Greet recommending Ryan for the role of Deputy Director of the CIA, which in Clancy’s “Jack Ryan” franchise is canon.

Chhibber said, “As a placeholder, or transition from series to movie format, Jack Ryan: Ghost War is serviceable.” You’re right in wanting more considering the original Jack Ryan movies starring Harrison Ford and directed by Phillip Noyce.

I don’t recommend this movie for those who have been fans of the “Jack Ryan” franchise. This isn’t better than the last couple we got. The reason why is because Krasinski looks like he doesn’t want to be the film, as does everyone else. No one really gives any other emotion than being expressionless for the majority of the film. I would just suggest you put on something else than streaming this film.

Thank you for joining in on today’s review. Stay tuned next Friday for the continuation of “Bill Paxton Month.”