Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse (2021)

Streaming Services: Amazon Prime Video
Movie Name/Year: Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse (2021)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Length: 109 minutes
Rating: R
Production/Distribution: New Republic Pictures, Midnight Radio, Outlier Society, Weed Road Pictures, Amazon Studios, Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, Amazon Prime Video

Director: Stefano Sollima

Writer:  Taylor Sheridan, Will Staples, Tom Clancy

Actors: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, Lauren London, Jacob Scipio, Todd Lasance, Jack Kesy, Lucy Russell, Cam Gigandet, Luke Mitchell, Artjom Gilz, Brett Gelman, Merab Ninidze
 
Blurb from IMDb: John Clark, a Navy SEAL, goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.
 

Selina’s Point of View:
Seeing a movie like Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse right after something like our Monday film, Fried Barry, has an interesting effect.
 
Fried Barry was an experimental horror that followed its own rules. Tropes and recipes were not a factor in any way, shape, or form. Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is mainstream. It displays a ton of tropes and a very traditional story telling method. It seems completely, inexcusably, basic by comparison.
 
Trust the Dice doesn’t compare the movies we see from day to day, that’s not our thing. However, we’re human. Sometimes our brains are just going to do what our brains do. In this case, I think Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse really suffered from following our Monday film.
 
That said, it IS basic.
 
The twist at the end was the single most obvious for the plot. Once you see the mid-movie reveal, there’s no more mystery. The film acts like there’s more, but there’s not. There’s simply no question as to where the story is going.
 

I’m a little mad. I’m a big fan of Michael B. Jordan (Chronicle, Creed, Just Mercy), and Jodie Turner-Smith (The Last Ship, Nightflyers, Queen & Slim) was bad-ass. The action aspect was also damn good. Some of the action scenes featured stuff I’ve never seen before. It should have been amazing.
 
It wasn’t.
 
I’m left feeling underwhelmed, to say the least. The mid-credit scene sets up the next flick, and I should care.
 
Will I watch it? Sure. Would I seek it out on my own if I didn’t have the blog? Not after this film.
 
In the end, Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is really only the kind of movie you put on in the background and look up from whatever else you’re doing for the action sequences. It’s not necessary to concentrate on the rest.
 

Cat’s Point of View:
The name Tom Clancy (The Sum of All Fears, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan) has become synonymous with political intrigue fiction. The late Mr. Clancy was the creator of famous characters such as Jack Ryan. He was also the author of novels that many classic movies from the late 80s and forward have been adapted from (not to mention a zillion video games). When his name is attached to something, there’s an automatic reaction and expectation involved – at least, that’s the case for me.
 
While this particular fiction genre isn’t my go-to by any means, I have enjoyed the movies that these stories have spawned. Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse is no exception.
 
I was actually surprised to learn that this film has been in development hell since shortly after the book was published in the early 90s. Savoy Pictures purchased the rights in 1993 and went into production. Unfortunately, it suffered from studio shut-downs, director and cast changes, and the like. I’d like to think that those events happened for the best, however. This version of the movie released on Amazon Prime far exceeds what any earlier version would have accomplished.
 
First, this cast was amazing. Michael B. Jordan has proved time and time again how much of a bad-ass he is. I believed every moment of his delivery and was right there vibing with him when he felt things start to go sideways in the story. You could have seriously fooled me into believing that Jordan had passed actual Navy SEAL training for how comfortable he appeared to be in the water scenes.
 

I geek out a little every time I recognize Jamie Bell (The Eagle, TURN: Washington's Spies, Rocketman) in a movie role. It’s not that I’m surprised to see him, it’s because each experience shows a different side of his range – and this man is phenomenally versatile. I loved every minute that Jordan and Bell shared on screen together.
 
Definitely not to be overlooked, Jodie Turner-Smith commands your attention as the SEAL team leader. There’s even a small Easter egg involving her character if you’re familiar with other on-screen Tom Clancy projects. I’m not telling – you need to find it for yourself!
 
The action was well done and believable, and the story certainly resonates just as much today as it would have when the book was written. It hits the ground running and doesn’t give you a breather. I am excited that this was the first installment of a 2-part movie series; there is definitely a sequel intended by director Stefano Sollima (Suburra, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, ZeroZeroZero).
 
I would absolutely recommend this Amazon Prime original to fans of the action or military genres. It’s definitely worth every moment.
 

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 45%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 44%
Metascore – 41/100
Metacritic User Score – 3.8/10
IMDB Score – 5.8/10
 
Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 2.5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 3.5/5
 
P.S. Mid-credit scene.
 
Movie Trailer: