Yup the Without Remorse Review is next. And I for one couldn’t be happier about that. Why you might ask? Well, because of several reasons really. First and foremost, because not that long ago I announced Without Remorse in a separate article. Indeed. I wrote about the movie’s long journey to a finished product. In fact, it was a decade-long journey, with several actors attached to the lead role. But yeah, you can check it out once again here. You’re welcome.
Without Remorse Review: Look Back At The Previous Tom Clancy Adaptations
Secondly, I’m excited about Without Remorse because I’m a huge fan of Tom Clancy’s books and Tom Clancy’s previous film adaptations. Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games are some of my favorites. But if I’m going to pick an all-time favorite it would have to be The Hunt For Red October. I mean come on! Sean Connery, James Earl Jones and Alec Baldwin all in one place?
Without Remorse Review: And Some Tom Clancy Games Too
And yes. The third and final reason why I’m so excited about the Without Remorse Review is because we have a bunch of fun, exciting Tom Clancy games here at IndieGala. Seriously, there are 28 titles in our vault, so you’d better check out all of them. And of course, pick the best one for you. You can do that just by clicking here. Enjoy.
But Is Without Remorse Good?
Well, not really. It’s perfectly watchable (for the most part), but I wouldn’t say it’s rather good. Nor memorable for that matter. But in the role previously occupied by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber now stands Michael B. Jordan. And yes. Jordan is John Kelly in this movie. An ex-Navy seal driven to great lengths by revenge. He and his team members are a target of Russian spies after a confusing mission in Aleppo. But after injuring him and killing his pregnant wife, he will set up a revenge plan to avenge his family. And find out the true conspiracy behind all of the never-ending Russia/USA tensions in the process. Well, that’s the short summary of Without Remorse. For a little bit of info, scroll down to find out more.
Michael B. Jordan Is The Saving Grace Here
He truly is. Furthermore, you can clearly see the commitment on his part. Both in the physical preparation and in terms of his performance. And the movie just proves my point a good lead actor can elevate even the most basic movie. And this is just not the case, I’m sad to say. Jordan can do a lot of things, but he can’t save this movie from a lack-luster status. Or the ability to forget the movie after you watch it. Which is sad, because there’s some decent talent aside from the presence of Michael B. Jordan.
But the thing is that talent is either wasted on generic, uninspiring roles or it’s totally wasted in very miscast roles. I believe Jamie Bell and especially Guy Pearce belong in the first bracket. While Jodie Turner-Smith first perfectly in the latter one. Again, it’s a shame, because I’ve been a fan of Jodie since Queen & Slim. But it’s particularly atrocious how an actor from Guy Pearce’s status is bored here, with barely any material. He’s got nothing to work with and it clearly shows. And it’s a similar story with Jamie Bell’s deceiving, cunning Robert Ritter character. Ugh, such a shame, since there’s so much potential to build a fantastic character.
Underwhelming Script And Uneven Direction
Again, such talent in those two departments. A wasted talent I might add. Remember how I mentioned earlier in this article that the movie will likely be forgotten? Well, you have Will Staples and Taylor Sheridan (the screen-writers of the movie) to thank for this. First and foremost, I don’t know why there’s Tom Clancy’s name at the start of the title. At all. The movie has very little with the original book. Almost none actually. Well, aside from the character and the fact that he’s a Navy Seal. Just think how much better the movie would have been if they stick to the original source material.
Not Much Of Tom Clancy In Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse?
And that feeling that you might have (I know I did) that you’re not watching a Tom Clancy movie is sole because of that. It doesn’t feel like Tom Clancy’s movie that we all know and love. And the direction is not helping either. Sure there are some impressive set pieces and some cool action scenes. But they either feel too fake or they’re half-baked in the execution. Let’s take John’s prison cell fight as an example.
It starts great, and it was surprisingly orchestrated/shot nicely to be honest. And after that build-up, you expect some epic fight in an even more epic scene to continue. But nope. Mid-way through, some dude steps in and halts what would otherwise be a decent action scene. With a phone call no less. However, going back to the script I’m pissed of at the lack of character development in almost every character. Including the lead. Yeah. You see, there’s no other motivation in John Kelly, other than grief-based revenge. It’s so pedestrian and devoid of any other emotions which would have served his arch so much better.
Without Remorse Review: A Forgettable And Basic Movie At Best?
Well, I think it is. Certainly, if you’re a fan of Tom Clancy’s works you’ll think even less of this movie. This is not the Tom Clancy adaptation that I expected, and the underwhelming experience is prevalent here. But as I mentioned, Michael B. Jordan’s dedication and talent are the only bright spots in this otherwise unimpressive film. Wartime economy hypotheses, treason, conspiracies’, betrayal and revenge are also present themes. But not enough to make a difference in the final product.
Are You A Fan of Without Remorse?
Indeed. Now you know my opinion of Without Remorse. But I’d like to know yours as well. Did you like the movie? Let us know in the comment section below. We’d love to know all about it.
