CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.
Film Review: High-Level Reboot for ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’
CHICAGO – Actor Chris Pine should use the term “Rebooter” as his middle name. After taking on the Captain Kirk role in the “Star Trek” series, he now is the latest to portray CIA super spy as “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” a literate and pulse racing adventure directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
It all starts with a legitimate story, and the script by Adam Cozad and David Koepp keeps everything in line with today’s geopolitical atmosphere. Director Branagh – who also takes on the villain role – brings in an artsy paranoia to the proceedings, and creates the action based on a step-by-step terrorist mystery that connects right back to September 11th. Chris Pine has a empathetic naturalism as the latest Jack Ryan, a reluctant operative if there ever was one, concerned more with the deception of his shadow life and his fiancee than the mission, until the two intersect. This is an entertaining 105 minutes, filled with real-life implications and genuine current events.
Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) is a PhD candidate at the London School of Economics on September 11th, 2001, and leaves his studies to fight as a Marine in Afghanistan. Injured when his helicopter is shot down, he rehabilitates under the care of medical therapist Cathy Muller (Keira Knightley), who he tries to woo. He is also being observed by the mysterious Thomas Harper (Kevin Costner), a recruiter for the CIA.
The agency wants Ryan for their counterterrorism unit, with his knowledge of international market fluctuations in currency. He goes undercover on Wall Street, and eventually moves in with Cathy. Ryan alerts the CIA when he notices a Russian firm is hiding assets, and is assigned the case with Harper as his wingman. Financier Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh) is conspiring to collapse the economy, and the mission is complicated when Cathy gets involved.
Meet the Spook: Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) and Harper (Kevin Costner) in ‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures