2014 Movie Preview: #13 - Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Release date: January 17

Plot summary: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

My take: As usual, a film makes my yearly preview list two years in a row due to a date change. Some times those reschedulings are a red flag that there are problems with the film, but I have a feeling that this reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise simply moved out of its original December release date because it did not want to get lost in the crowded marketplace (several films released in the past couple of weeks have struggled due to stiff competition). Chris Pine is a solid lead and I am hoping he can re-invigorate this franchise in the same way he did for the Star Trek films.

Back into the Shadows

After news earlier this week about George Clooney's The Monuments Men getting pushed back to 2014, we get news today that another film has abandoned its December release date. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit will now also move to early 2014. Here's the full story from EW.com.

EW has confirmed that Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has dropped off the Christmas release schedule and will now open Jan. 17, 2014

The Paramount Pictures’ action movie is based on characters from late author Tom Clancy and stars Chris Pine (Star Trek) as a young CIA analysis who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the U.S. economy with a terrorist attack. Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie), Kevin Costner (Man of Steel), and Kiera Knightly (Anna Karenina) will also star alongside Pine in the upcoming action thriller directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Could a Christmas Day release date announcement for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street be just around the corner? The speculation remains high that Jack Ryan’s move could be a strategic effort by Paramount to announce a Dec. 25 release date for Martin Scorsese’s highly anticipated The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio (The Great Gatsby) and Matthew McConaughey (Mud).

Moving Wolf Of Wall Street into Jack Ryan’s old release date of Christmas Day would effectively keep the film in the running for the Oscars but as of yet, Paramount has not commented on whether they will release the Scorsese film before the end of the year not.

If you aint Ryan, you aint trying

The release of the first trailer for the new film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit takes on a more somber tone with the news this week of the passing of author Tom Clancy, who was the creator of the Jack Ryan character. While this film is based on an original story, it seems to still be very much rooted in the themes of geopolitics that Clancy was known for in his books. You can check out the trailer for yourself below.

2013 Movie Preview (#18 - 13)

#18. Man of Steel (June 14)

Plot: Henry Cavill plays Superman in director Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel." The film also stars Amy Adams as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, and Faora, Zod's evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman's native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman's mother, played by Ayelet Zurer, and Superman's father, Jor-El, portrayed by Russell Crowe. Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

Personal Opinion: This will be one of the biggest wild cards of 2013. On one hand, I'm still skeptical that a great Superman movie can be made. The 2006 film was underwhelming at best and in general, the character is just not as dynamic or complex as so many other comic book heroes. What this film does have going for it is the Christopher Nolan factor. Though not directing this movie, his assistance can only help. The first two trailers have not given me a clear sense of what to expect though. For the sake of the DC universe, this needs to be good. For movie fans, let's hope it's great.


#17. Now You See Me (June 7)

Plot: "Now You See Me" pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

Personal Opinion: The use of magic or illusions in film, like The Prestige is always a draw for me. This one not only has that, but a stellar cast as well that inlcude Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman. I initially had this higher on my list until I saw the first trailer. While the plot is solid, it felt like the trailer made the film seem like it would be just a dumb action flick. The key to films about magic is that they need to be smart and keep the audience guessing. If this manages to be intelligent, then this will be a real winner.


#16. Jack Ryan (December 25)

Plot: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

Personal Opinion: It's been a long time since we've seen the Jack Ryan character on the big screen. Portrayed by both Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford in the past, the Jack Ryan films have been, if nothing else, solid political thrillers. For this reboot, they have a lot of good pieces in place. Chris Pine, after resurrecting the Captain Kirk character, is an actor on the rise. Kenneth Branagh, who is directing this, proved with Thor that he's capable of helming a big budget picture. The one thing that I would have liked was for them to use another story from Tom Clancy, but as long as the plot is solid, this should be nice gift come next Christmas.


#15. The Internship (June 7)

Plot: Vaughn and Wilson portray two old school salesmen who, finding themselves suddenly unemployed and passed-by in the digital world, try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Personal Opinion: Those waiting for a Wedding Crashers reunion finally have their wish. Not only are Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson back together, but their buddy Will Ferrell will also have a small role in this film as well. Their re-teaming coupled with a story that sounds like it has the potential for a lot of comedy has me excited. My only reservation comes from the fact that Shawn Levy is directing this and he has had a mixed bag of success when it comes to directing comedies. Hopefully the strong cast will be able to rise above any shortcomings he brings to the table.


#14. The Wolverine (July 26)

Plot: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, "The Wolverine" finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

Personal Opinion: Like Superman, Wolverine is a popular comic book character whose story is one that I don't find particularly compelling. Wolverine works well within the context of the X-Men, but alone, as we saw in the Origins film three years ago is a different story. Marvel's track record is typically strong, so I'm definitely willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are able to make this as fun as The Avengers then I'll be glad to eat my words and embrace even more films from this franchise.


#13. Captain Phillips (October 11)

Plot: Based on the true-life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by armed Somali pirates, attempted to escape and was eventually rescued by the U.S. Navy. The film will retell the events that garnered headlines worldwide in April. After his ship was hijacked on the high seas, Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates in order to protect his crew. The married father of two made one unsuccessful escape attempt before an elite squad of Navy SEAL snipers shot and killed three of the four pirates - an action authorized by President Obama. A fourth pirate surrendered and is in custody.

Personal Opinion: Already on this list, I've identified a few films that have the potential to score big during the awards season, but this one seems to have the perfect combination to rack up a number of big prizes. The film focuses on a recent headline-grabbing story, features an multiple Oscar winner in the lead and is being directed by Paul Greengrass who has shown the ability to make films that have mass appeal and are very well received. Though I know the basic details of this story, I'm very anxious to see the whole thing be told on the big screen.