Tom Clancy's Without Remorse
By Tara McNamara,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Violent thriller has amazing action sequences, so-so story.
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Tom Clancy's Without Remorse
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Based on 8 parent reviews
An action movie with some political thrills and twists
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What's the Story?
When a squad of Russian soldiers assassinates members of a former military special ops team while they're going about their civilian lives, they mistakenly kill the pregnant wife of Senior Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) instead of him. Teaming up with fellow Navy SEAL Karen Greer (Jodie Turner-Smith) and shady CIA agent Robert Ritter (Jamie Bell), Kelly seeks to get to the truth of who was behind the hits. Discovering a covert plot that will inevitably lead to war, Kelly must fight his enemies WITHOUT REMORSE.
Is It Any Good?
Phenomenal action sequences with enormous set pieces will take your breath away, but this book-based thriller suffers on the story front. Even viewers who tend to zone out during long action scenes are likely to stay completely absorbed by the all-encompassing cinematic maneuvers by director Stefano Sollima and director of photography Philippe Rousselot (whose previous work includes A River Runs Through It and Fantastic Beasts films). A scene in which a plane is hit by enemy fire and crashes into the ocean is gripping and IMAX-worthy.
Tom Clancy's source novel -- which was published in 1993 and set in 1970 -- is updated to modern day for the film. And that's not all that's changed; frankly, this adaptation by Taylor Sheridan and Will Staples is so different from the book that it's baffling that the novelist's name still precedes the title. What does remain is brutality at the hero's hands. For the most part, recent films have stepped away from heroes being quick to kill -- we now see villains make their own fatal missteps. But John Kelly is out for revenge, plain and simple. In tracking down the person who murdered his pregnant wife, he discovers a vast government conspiracy. Speaking of which, the movie's big reveal feels like an aged concept, too. The DUN-DUN-DUN moment is something that might have shaken the earth in the 1990s, but today's audiences are more likely to think, "Tell me something I don't know."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why positive representation in the media is important. What examples did you notice in this film?
What's your reaction to the violence in Without Remorse? How does it compare to other thrillers: Is it more or less brutal? Do you think watching this kind of movie violence can desensitize viewers to brutality?
How is John Kelly courageous? How do he and Greer use teamwork to get answers?
If you've read the source book, how does the film compare? Why do you think filmmakers decide to make changes to books for movie adaptations?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 30, 2021
- Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell
- Director: Stefano Sollima
- Inclusion Information: Black actors
- Studio: Amazon Studios
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Book Characters
- Character Strengths: Courage, Teamwork
- Run time: 110 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: violence
- Last updated: June 2, 2023
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