Relentless Disappointment: A Without Remorse Review - Renegade Marquee #1
Welcome to the first episode of the rebranded Renegade Home Theater, now known as the Renegade Marquee, our movie podcast! This time, Jacob and Keona check out Amazon’s latest production, Without Remorse, an action/thriller based on Tom Clancy’s novel and starring Michael B. Jordan! Does it live up to the Clancy adaptation pedigree set by films like The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger? Let’s find out!
Of course you can hear our full thoughts about the movie in the podcast, but both Jacob and I were somewhat disappointed in this movie. Though Jordan and his fellow cast members are definitely giving it their best effort, the script and dialogue are horrendously dry and lack any humor or unique qualities. It’s so rote and by-the-numbers that it almost seems like “baby’s first Clancy adaptation,” and that’s a real shame, especially since the story starts out well enough, with some intrigue and mysterious story threads that ultimately go nowhere or unravel in a very sloppy way.
There are some bright spots, like the well-staged action sequences and slick cinematography, and I really do like the ensemble cast featured in the film. Still, the uninspired conspiracy plot and lethargic pacing, particularly in the opening act, drags the film down into the lower tier of Clancy adaptations for me. It’s also worth noting that Taylor Sheridan, one of my favorite screenwriters who has also written Sicario 1 & 2 and Wind River, co-wrote the script, which makes it even more of a let-down. However, the other co-writer was Will Staples, whose previous work includes video game scripts like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (the worst game in the series, in my opinion) and Need For Speed: Rivals. Not exactly Oscar-worthy output.
Overall, I’d give the movie a thumbs down, but I suppose it is better than Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (not exactly a difficult accomplishment). Based on the trailer, I expected much better from this film. Oh, well, maybe the next one in the franchise will be better. Yep, that’s right, we have the start of the Clancy Cinematic Universe here, and I’d guess it’s only a matter of time before Michael B. Jordan and John Krasinski meet up in film somewhere down the line. Time will tell.
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