In his newest film, Michael B. Jordan shows his range in Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse both in his capacity as an actor and a producer. This film is the first movie to come out of Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society.
In the film, Jordan portrays an elite Navy SEAL Sr. Chief John Kelly, who uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice for the murder of his pregnant wife. It is the origin story of action hero John Clark – one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, which starred John Krasinski in the title role, and Without Remorse are both original thrillers from Amazon Studios. So, here’s hoping these films open up a larger and more integrated cinematic universe for this franchise. This creative relationship with Jordan and Outlier Society will see cross-collaborations within Amazon’s vast businesses, from fashion.
What the film really captures is Jordan’s ability to bring together his skills as a producer and those as an actor to build something cinematically strong. The film is packed with back-to-back action in a variety of landscapes. It is a part political thriller and part action movie. The film has a lot of intense scenes that feel real to the audience and make you nervous. These scenes make you nervous because you can feel the stress in a room. It is primarily an action movie.
The Action And Jordan’s Character Work
It sure does not disappoint on the action. Had the movie had any less action, the audience may have time to question some of the motivation or decisions the characters make in the film. But you just don’t have time for that. It is back-to-back action. And you’re transported from one intense scene to another. This is where I believe it is a benefit to have an actor and producer like Jordan. Being involved both in front of and behind the camera makes the movie more well-rounded. You can see that there is great care being put into the stunts.
Michael B. Jordan Is The Real Highlight
Jordan’s character, John Kelly, is pretty well-rounded. And Jordan’s portrayal of that character is where you see his acting range. John Kelly is many things, an elite soldier, a doting husband, and someone with a strong moral compass. You see that moral compass put to the test when a squad of Russian soldiers kills his family in retaliation for his role in a top-secret operation. His desire for revenge drives him to pursues the assassins at all costs. He joins forces with a fellow SEAL (Jodie Turner-Smith) and a shadowy CIA agent (Jamie Bell).
His mission to save his family unwittingly exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia in an all-out war. Here is where the qualities of John Kelly as a character shine. He is not just a man with a need for revenge. He is more complex than that. John is torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country, Kelly must fight his enemies without remorse if he hopes to avert disaster and reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy. Kelly as a character is complex and well-rounded. But this is where Jordan’s ability as an actor shines. He is able to go back and forth between the sides of Kelly’s personality so easily.
The Rest Of The Cast Shines
Without Remorse also stars Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren London, Brett Gelman, Jacob Scipio, Jack Kesy, Colman Domingo, and Guy Pearce. Jodie Turner-Smith is excellent in her no-nonsense role as Karen Greer. It was rumored that Karen Greer might be a possible love interest for John Kelly. But as it turns out, the love interest is Pam Kelly, John Kelly’s slain wife, who is played by Lauren London. Jodie Turner-Smith is fantastic in her portrayal of someone who is also torn between duty and friendship. Her compassion and empathy for John Kelly are clear even if her demeanor is left than soft.
The film is worth watching at home, although in theaters the epic underwater scenes and action sequences would probably look a hundred times better. But even at home, Director Stefano Sollima does a great job of making sure that the quality of the filmmaking is not lost on audiences. Produced By Akiva Goldsman, Josh Applebaum, Andre Nemec, and Michael B. Jordan and Executive Produced By Denis Stewart, Alana Mayo, Greg Lessans, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, the film will be available on Prime video on April 30th.
So, what do you think of Without Remorse?
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