Movie Review: ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’

Directed by Andrew Bernstein (‘Ozark’) and co-written by Krasinski, the film once again stars Krasinski as Jack Ryan, Wendell Pierce (‘The Wire’) as James Greer, and Michael Kelly (‘House of Cards’) as Mike November, as well as new cast member Sienna Miller (‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’).

Related Article: John Krasinski’s Jack Ryan to Return for New Movie Based on The TV Series

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Sienna Miller, Michael Kelly, and John Krasinski in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’. Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer / Prime Video. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

While basically a TV movie, ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ might be the most authentic film version of the literary character since the Harrison Ford movies in the 1990s. John Krasinski clearly understands this character and his script is smart, character-driven, and action-packed.

The Prime Video series was always designed as an origin story for the character, “Jack Ryan Begins”, if you will. But the film moves the core characters closer to their movie counterparts from the Alec Baldwin/Harrison Ford series and introduces a new character in Sienna Miller’s Emma Marlow, who is the MI6 equivalent of Jack.

Story and Direction

‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ director Andrew Bernstein.

The film begins by reintroducing us to Jack Ryan (John Krasinski), who is now retired from the CIA and living a quiet life working in the private sector. That ends quickly when he is recruited by his old friend, deputy director of the CIA James Greer (Wendell Pierce), to meet a contact in Dubai who has information about a black-ops group that has gone rogue.

Working again with Mike November (Michael Kelly), Ryan soon meets Emma Marlow (Sienna Miller), his MI6 counterpart who is also trying to stop the black-ops team before they can execute the assignation of a high-ranking government official. Now, along with Greer, who may be indirectly responsible for starting the international emergency, Ryan must stop the leader of the rogue unit before he can execute his deadly plans.

John Krasinski as Jack Ryan in Prime Video’s ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ Season 4. Credit: Attila Szvacsek/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

After three seasons of the TV series, actor and writer John Krasinski clearly understands the character of Jack Ryan and his script is smart, fast, and action-packed while still character driven. The film is a natural continuation of the series, but feels cinematic, with spectacular set pieces in both London and Dubai. But Krasinski’s focus on the characters is what comes through the strongest, allowing time to truly explore the returning characters, while also introducing Miller’s Marlow into the fold.

Series director Andrew Bernstein makes his feature film debut, and while he clearly understands the material from working on the show, I wonder if the film wouldn’t have benefited from a more seasoned film director helming the movie, like perhaps Krasinski himself. For the most part, the complex story, the fully developed characters, the strong performances, and the exciting action sequences carry the film, but the direction does lose focus at times and seems run of the mill.

Cast and Performances

(L to R) Emma Marlowe (Sienna Miller), James Greer (Wendell Pierce) , and Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’. Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer / Prime Video. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

Three seasons of playing the character on TV clearly prepared John Krasinski for his feature film debut as Jack Ryan. For those who watched the series, this is the natural progression of the character and fans will be excited to see him finally become the Jack Ryan we all grew up with in films like ‘The Hunt for Red October’ and ‘Patriot Games’. For audiences new to Krasinski’s Ryan, they will instantly recognize and understand this version of the character, as it is closer to the other theatrical interpretations.

In fact, if I were to rank the big screen versions of Jack Ryan, obviously Harrison Ford is first, but since Alec Baldwin only played Ryan once, I’m inclined to rank Krasinski second, then Baldwin, Chris Pine (‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ is criminally underrated), and finally Ben Affleck. At this point, Krasinski holds the record for playing Jack Ryan the longest, and pound for pound, this film is his best performance as the character.

Wendell Pierce who plays deputy director of the CIA James Greer also returns from the series and his character closer resembles the version of Greer portrayed by James Earl Jones in the Baldwin and Ford movies. The film allows Pierce more time to explore Greer’s motivations, his mistakes from the past, and his relationship with Jack. Michael Kelly also returns as CIA operative and loose cannon Mike November. Kelly brings a lot of humor to the role and has great chemistry with Krasinski and the rest of the main cast.

Michael Kelly in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’. Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer / Prime Video. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

But it’s Sienna Miller’s Emma Marlow that really adds new excitement to the story. She’s essentially the MI6 version of Jack Ryan, and her addition to the cast really amps things up and gives Jack a partner truly as capable as he is. Miller is completely believable in the role and has great chemistry with Krasinski.

It’s worth mentioning that Abbie Cornish, who played Jack’s future wife Dr. Cathy Mueller in the series does not return for the movie, and it’s even mentioned that Cathy and Jack have split up. That’s the only aspect of the film that puts Krasinski’s Ryan a step behind the Baldwin and Ford versions, as in those films Jack and Cathy are happily married.

In theory this leaves an opening for a relationship between Jack and Emma, but the film does not go there, other than making it clear that there is an attraction and mutual respect between the two. Perhaps that relationship will be explored in a sequel.

Final Thoughts

John Krasinski in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’. Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer / Prime Video. © Amazon Content Services LLC.

In the end, ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ is a more than serviceable adaptation of the TV series and larger source material and frankly the version of the beloved Clancy characters that fans of the show have been waiting for.

John Krasinski is Jack Ryan for this generation, and his screenplay and performance show just how much he truly cares about the character and this franchise.

‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ receives a score of 85 out of 100.

John Krasinski stars in ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’.

What is the plot of ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’?

When an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is forced back into the world of espionage to confront a rogue black-ops unit.

Who is in the cast of ‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’?

• John Krasinski as Jack Ryan
• Wendell Pierce as James Greer
• Michael Kelly as Mike November
• Sienna Miller as Emma Marlow
• Betty Gabriel as Elizabeth Wright

‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ premieres on Prime Video May 20th.

Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Jack Ryan’ Franchise:

Buy John Krasinski Movies on Amazon