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.

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.