Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

First Hit:  Better than I thought it would be with a good story, believable acting, and the way suspense was created.

Carrying on the legacy of Clancy’s Jack Ryan character is a tall order. Just like carrying on the 007 story with different actors, it takes someone who can embody the spirit of the character, yet show us something and someone new. Daniel Craig has definitely moved 007 forward.

Here Chris Pine, just as he did with Captain Kirk, moved the character of Jack Ryan forward. As his mentor, Kevin Costner is excellent as Commander Thomas Harper. I loved his wry smile, direct commands and hands on engagement.

This is where this film excels. It wasn’t someone behind a desk giving commands from HQ to the lowly analyst (Now your Operative) it was a team of people letting Ryan be the lead, yet knowing he was fully supported by a competent team made it all work. Keira Knightley, as Ryan’s wife Dr. Cathy Muller, was really good and it was great to see her again in a film role.

Briefly, Jack, inspired by September 11th, joins the Marines to fight for the US. He’s super smart and although he’s been sending great intelligence to the Marine’s HQ, he’s doing a grunt role. He gets hurt and rehabs at Walter Reed Hospital where he meets Dr. Muller. Harper read Ryan’s reports and begins to recruit him into the CIA.

As an intelligence analyst he’s real good, and on a trip to Russia to do an audit of a client, he uncovers a plot to destroy the US (of course you would expect this from a Jack Ryan story). It is here that he becomes an operative. Just because we know the ending doesn't take away from the way we get there.

This is what makes this film very watchable, entertaining, and enjoyable.

Pine was an excellent choice for the Ryan role with his charming good looks, intelligence, and ability to be physical. Costner was great as the older, wizened, and veteran CIA operative in charge of the mission. Knightly was sublime as Ryan’s wife Muller. There was enough strong independence as well as intelligent support of her husband. Kenneth Branagh as Viktor Cherevin was particularly strong and I felt he clearly knew how to direct himself. Adam Cozad and David Koepp wrote a wonderful script based on Tom Clancy’s characters. Branagh did a wonderful job of creating suspense and excitement throughout the film.

Overall:  This was a very entertaining film made well by strong people.

Lone Survivor

First Hit:  Knowing the end (title gives it away) before the film starts makes it difficult to watch.

When you know the end of the film before it starts, it can hurt the experience.

Here the audience has to sit through a small group (4) Navy Seals being slowly slaughtered because they consciously let 3 Afghan goat herders go. The decision allowed the Taliban to know the soldiers whereabouts and how to systematically kill the soldiers.

The film is supposed to show the fraternal and brotherly closeness of these Seals. To make this point the beginning of the film shows some of the training exercises the commandos go through to become a Seal.

As most of the candidates quit, by ringing a bell three times and leave their helmet on the ground, the ones who make it through to the end are very close. As the Seals are picked off one by one in horrible/bloody fashion I just sat waiting for the end to come. This film tries to bring the feeling of honor, bravery, and the rightness of the US being at war in Afghanistan – but to me these things do not justify the actions of war although I appreciate the closeness of their brotherhood.

From a story perspective this film might have been better served by not telegraphing the end. However, some of the dialogue was pointed and truly Seal like.

Mark Wahlberg as Marcus Luttrell was focused and fully engaged in this role. This was a typical “full on” performance by him. Taylor Kitsch as Michael Murphy was good as the leader of this group. Emile Hirsch was very good as Danny Dietz communications guy. Ben Foster was the best of the bunch in his part as Matt “Axe” Axelson. Peter Berg wrote and directed this based on Luttrell’s book. The dialogue was strong and cinematography was good but the focus on their struggle to survive the onslaught wasn’t my cup of tea.

Overall:  Not an easy film to watch, especially if killing is not your bag.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

First Hit:  The last 1/3 was interesting and it was a long wait to get there.

The anticipation of this film was high for me because one of our truly great modern age hero’s had recently died.

The first thing that hurt the film’s impact was Idris Elba (playing Nelson Mandela) whom, for me, didn’t embody a greatness or aura of leadership for which this role calls. As we wade through this historical story there were very few moments worthy of paying much attention to.

However, one such moment was meeting and marrying of Winnie (Naomie Harris). From that point on, when Harris' character was on the screen the film became more dynamic. For my money, Harris embodied power and strength on screen that out shined the main character. This was the effect and strength of her ability to act – not the written character.

When the whole film and Elba's character began to engage me; was at the end of the his prison term and the government of De Klerk began to negotiate with Mandela about his freedom and the future of South Africa’s government.

Elba was very mediocre as Mandela. There was nothing in his presence that really engaged me to the man, the character. Harris was extraordinary as Winnie. She embodied her struggle and engaged fully with the way she wanted to deal with the struggle of South Africa. William Nicholson wrote the script from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. I would say it was the direction of Justin Chadwick and poor acting by Elba that tanked this film.

Overall:  I admire Mandela and how he changed South Africa, but this film version of his greatness, was poorly presented.

Her

First Hit:  Very strong acting with a novel, yet thoughtful concept.

Can we fall in love with a voice that is the result of an artificially intelligent computer OS? This is the obvious question the film plays out, but it also is about learning, growing, being in the now and about the space between our thoughts.

The later part of this statement is mostly based on Samantha’s (computer OS voice by Scarlett Johansson) experience as she learns that there is more space and time between her interactions with humans than when she is interacting with them. She discovers there is more growth available to her in this space.

A computer’s experience and ability to learn (in this film) is far faster and probably greater than a human’s ability to do the same. Joaquin Phoenix (playing Theodore) is heartbroken about his collapsed marriage. Part of the self-acknowledged issue is that he shut himself off from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara) and therefore hid himself.

Theodore is sensitive and this sensitivity allows him to be a star letter writer for an online company that writes letters from people to other people. He purchases a new OS whom introduces itself to him and asks what kind of voice he wants for the OS. He picks a woman’s voice.

The voice names herself Samantha, and he begins to be seduced by her abilities to take care of his tasks – his life tasks. This is both Theodore’s strength and weakness with Samantha. He loves that she is on top of his life but also he becomes dependent on her for conversational companionship. It is also made easy because there is no real person in front of him. As he falls in love with Samantha, it is clear that this is not going to have a wonderful ending, because she is not human – and is not bound by human feelings, emotions, and the limits of a body.

The scenes where he’s opening up to Samantha were truly beautiful. The scene where Samantha sends a physical surrogate to be with Theodore shows the complete awkwardness of this whole situation. The ending with Theodore and neighbor Amy (Amy Adams) who has somewhat the same experience with her OS is perfect.

Phoenix is extremely strong as Theodore a man looking for a way to find a safe connection with another human being. His ability to slip from the outside world to the inside world of sharing with Samantha is great. Mara, in a very limited role, is sublime. The divorce lunch conversation she has with Theodore was amazing. Her touching expressions were perfect and heartfelt. Adams is great as the computer game nerd who is also looking for a greater connection with her partner. Johansson’s voice is dead on perfect – so seductive, warm and expressive. Spike Jonze both wrote and directed this risky thought provoking film is a great concept and well done.

Overall:  This film is very interesting by providing a glimpse of what could be a question we have to address in the not so distant future:  Can we have a relationship with a computer OS?

Inside Llewyn Davis

First Hit:  Although the acting was strong, there was nothing about the character to care about.

When I watch a film, it helps me when there is someone or something to care about.

This film’s main character Llewyn Davis (played by Oscar Isaac) is a former merchant seaman who really wants to be a folk singer. He was part of a singing duo and they put out an album.

For a reason unknown to the audience, his singing partner committed suicide so Llewyn is on his own. He does sets at local New York City clubs, and he sings well, but no one really connects to him. He couch surfs at friend’s homes to sleep. He’s got no money. One of his friends, Jean (Carey Mulligan), who is married, is pregnant by him (maybe). He also manages to piss everyone off that tries to assist him, with his attitude.

We’re dropped into this story midstream and, one day later, I cannot even tell you how it ends – the whole thing was dreary. However, this doesn’t take away from the excellent acting by Isaac, Mulligan, and Justin Timberlake.

Isaac’s voice is wonderful and the songs he sings are sung with woeful sadness and beauty. Mulligan, in a minor role, is excellent. She brings a certain beauty and grounding to the film. Timberlake is mostly fun and the scene where he and Isaac do a song together is funny. John Goodman, as a juiced up jazz musician Roland Turner, steals the scenes he's in with Isaac. Stark Sands as fellow singer and military man, Troy Nelson stands out as a kind simple person and singer. Joel and Ethan Coen both wrote and directed this film. I would not consider this their best by any stretch of the imagination.

Overall:  Although it chronicles life as a folk singer and is well crafted, there isn’t any reason to see or care about the characters.