REVIEW: TOM CLANCY'S 'WITHOUT REMORSE'

 

4/5

Creed and Present Danger.

109 Mins. Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Luke Mitchell, Jack Kesy, Brett Gelman, Lauren London, Colman Domingo & Guy Pearce. Director: Stefano Sollima. 

Alexa play, 'Tom Clancy's Without Remorse'. Amazon have some prime real estate now. And it's not just Michael B. Jordan reading romance novels to you as the two of you soak in a bubble bath together for a Superbowl spot. Although even this hetero writer could probably be turned by that right now (have you seen those abs? But I digress). After all his partners surname is Harvey. You saw the bus poster tease 'Without Remorse'. This is the latest Tom Clancy you don't have to read like an audiobook. Adapting the latest chapter from the late, great authors verse that has seen more Jack Ryan's than airport's and studies shelves have his books. Alec Baldwin ('The Hunt For The Red October'), Harrison Ford ('Clear and Present Danger' and 'Patriot Games'), Ben Affleck ('The Sum Of All Fears'), Chris Pine ('Jack Ryan-Shadow Recruit') and John Krasinski (in Amazon's hit TV series. I smell a crossover, but that's not what's post-credit teased here rainbow children) have all played Jack Ryan. But the role of his right hand man John Kelly had been played by only Willem Dafoe (definitively) and Liev Schreiber (sensationally) in 'Clear and Present Danger' and 'The Sum Of All Fears' respectively. So now how about the knockout 'Creed' star Jordan to play this spies sidekick like Bond's Felix coming into his own like the Clancyverse 1993 novel of the same name that spawned the hugely popular with first people, 'Rainbow 6' game. Bourne for this 'Green Zone' like Matt Damon following Han Solo, Batman, Captain Kirk and Jim from 'The Office' (who is so fantastic Marvel are even considering the 'A Quiet Place' actor and director as their next Reed Richards...which really isn't a stretch), who better to continue along this line of fire than the 'Black Panther' star with Killmonger military grade training for good that could be the new black Superman? 

Through 'The Wire' for the formidable 'Fruitvale Station' actor there's even a 'Fantastic Four' reunion here for this scorching hot Human Torch...and it's a beautiful thing. But for this former Navy SEAL and rogue CIA operative the action comes thick and fast. The 'Just Mercy' Oscar worthy star has another franchise under his belt, as he will when he takes it back to another classic story in 'The Thomas Crown Affair' like Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo, or Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. No longer riding in Ryan's backseat despite an incendiary moment surrounded by 'Fahrenheit 451'. Putting the clamps on a corrupt suit as he gets into the back of a burning car as casually as if he was getting into the back of an Uber. The action is amazing from standard sieges that give you more fill than the usual set-piece meat and potatoes, prison fights that break all sorts of batons and arms in a submerging cell, drowning cars and halo jumps that turn into whole plane drops. It's straight out the CIA handbook, but with a script flip that doesn't always go by the book. One home invasion like a 'John Wick' noise complaint scene, punctuated by the reveal of a tense torch circling the living room floor sheds light on just how dynamic the direction of the superb Stefano Sollima ('Sicario: Day Of The Soldado') is. Behind the wonderful writing of the best screenplay man in Hollywood Taylor Sheridan adapting Clancy with 'Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3' video game writer Will Staples. Sheridan's credits also include the original 'Sicario', the steal of 'Hell Or High Water' and the changing direction of 'Wind River' which he also directed. Coming up aces and smoke grenades this first real blockbuster of the coming Summer season is spring worthy of the big-screen like M.B.J's Hollywood icon star status is to be seen. Jordan rules B. He could one day be the G.O.A.T the way he's moving to his own bleat and beat. Bringing duty and responsibility to this man fighting for a flag that should wave for him. But also in this cold and calculated like Russian vodka genre, he also brings a felt humanity and heart to this coming cold war. Channeling Vin Diesel in the 'Fast and Furious' franchise wheelman's best 'A Man Apart' when he comes home to a tragedy that almost includes him in the obituary. As he crawls and tugs on bloody sheets, strewn in his pain and powered revenge that he's about to serve and run red like October. 

This crusader has no remorse like a classic MS-DOS Electronic Arts video game. And why should he? This Jordan takes it personally like Michael B. will if we make one more 23 reference. So this is our last dance...dammit. Sorry. Mike is joined by like (f###!) minds in the form of all sorts of patriots playing games in Washington DC, from the Capitol to the White House. Of course there's the bell ringing reunion with The Thing himself, 'Billy Elliott', 'Snowpiercer' and 'Rocketman' actor Jamie Bell at his versatile best, as we try and work out whether he's snake oil slimy and corrupt or just English red-herring crossiant greasy. It's 'Queen and Slim' star Jodie Turner-Smith however (another great Brit accented as an American), that proves the most dynamite fuse worthy for a Pippen dynamic duo with Jordan, despite her own agency. Inhuman Marvel's 'Agent Of S.H.I.E.L.D' star Luke Mitchell and Black Tom Cassidy himself from 'Deadpool 2', Jack Kesy help round out this team. But it's 'Fleabag' creep and 'Stranger Things' favourite Brett Gelman that gives this story more depth, like the brief, but beautiful role of 'ATL's' Lauren London gives this capital exclamation its heart. Stirring the soul like fellow underused and underrated Colman Domingo of '42', 'Selma', 'If Beale Street Could Talk' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' nomination worthy fame. Making the most of his moment like his pink suit at the Oscars that was as stylishly winning as hosting this year's Academy Awards at LA's legendary Union Station to the 'Beale Street' co-star Regina King walking direction of Steven Soderbergh. Still, it's the addition of 'Memento', 'LA Confidential' and 'Lawless' legend Guy Pearce as the top brass that really makes this A-list of an All-star cast in a class of its own. Even when his scenes are reduced to one's that feel more like a cameo, or a cutting room floor, this guy has it like no one else. He could do this all day...in his down time like a sleeper agent. The resourceful if not remorseful Tom Clancy movie yet again just showing you what it could do if it assembled a crack team for the pot of gold at the end of it all. Now standing under the monument of a monumental movie for a Nick Fury in 'Iron Man' like Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne, "I'm putting a team together" moment, it's time to see what's coming somewhere over the rainbow. Watch your 6. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan', 'The Sum Of All Fears', 'Patriot Games'.