REVIEW: Michael B. Jordan Brings John Clark’s Story to Life in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse

For the past three years, Amazon Prime Video has brought to life the title character from author, Tom Clancy’s hit Jack Ryan series, Jack Ryan. Played by John Krasinski, the series is a huge hit for the streaming platform and now, Amazon Prime Video is hoping to continue that success with their new movie, Without Remorse. This new film turns the focus to another character from the Jack Ryan-verse, John Clark.

Played by Michael B. Jordan, Without Remorse finds Navy Seal John Clark seeking revenge on the men who brutally murdered his wife. As he begins to track down the men who committed the heinous act, Clark starts to unravel an even bigger plot that could force the United States in to war with Russia.

The writers took a few liberties when they decided to bring Clark’s story to life. Like the original book, Without Remorse, this movie is definitely an origin story but it doesn’t exactly follow the novel. The writers opted to bring this story into more modern times and it adds new layers to the character, whether those changes win over Tom Clancy fans remains to be seen. But fans of action-thrillers will enjoy this movie.

Jordan is the perfect actor to bring to life John Clark. From his appearance as the former military man to his nuanced performance, the audience is automatically drawn into Kelly’s story and the plot he has to uncover. Joining him in the thriller are Jamie Bell as Robert Ritter, another Ryan-verse character, and Jodie Turner-Smith as Lieutenant Commander Karen Greer, a character written for the movie. Bell and Jordan’s characters couldn’t be more different resulting in their scenes together being some of my favorite in the movie.

Turner-Smith’s Lieutenant Commander Karen Greer is fun to watch alongside Jordan’s Clark. I enjoyed that the writers chose to showcase the platonic side of their relationship rather than trying to create a romantic one for the characters. Jordan and Turner-Smith clearly have chemistry and it was nice to watch their friendship, and their characters’ mutual respect for each other, shine through.

For fans of the Jack Ryan series, Karen Greer is the first of a few connections made between the movie and the series. It is never fully explained if the movie is happening at the same time as the series or if it happens after, but viewers will walk away knowing that these two characters do indeed live in the same universe. Those who have read the book know where John Clark’s life goes after his origin book and what his connection to Ryan is, but that connection is not fleshed out in this film. Whether that happens down the road is yet to be seen, but I, for one, would love to see these characters unite in the near future.

Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse features explosions, international conspiracy, and a whole lot of action. Is it the best action-thriller out there? No. But, if you are looking for an action-thriller to get lost in, this movie is for you. There is a mid-credit scene featured, so don’t turn off your television until the credits have finished rolling.

Grade: B