I wanted to like Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit simply because of the cast and the genre. I love a tasty spy thriller and the best example in recent memory was Brad Pitt and Robert Redford in Spy Game (a shifty, calculating film) though Burn After Reading also deserves a tongue-in-cheek honorable mention.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit features the acting chops of Chris Pine, Kiera Knightly, and Kevin Costner woven tightly into the delicate spy fabric which falls apart quick. The film’s plot was obvious, clunking, and unrefined and did not wear the “spy” label well. Upon a reluctant conclusion, the film left me wondering why I actually finished it because it left me underwhelmed. From where I sit, this film isn’t worth owning, and barely worth a Red Box rental. I can confidently proclaim I won’t be caught dead watching this film again and rate the experience a meager 5/10.