‘Jack Ryan: Ghost War’ Review: John Krasinski Carries A Film That Should’ve Been A Season

Here’s the irony about “Jack Ryan: Ghost War”. Tom Clancy’s CIA analyst started as a film character. And he was so fascinating, he got rebooted for five films with different actors (Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine), until Prime Video decided to let John Krasinski take him out for a series spin. The four-season series and Krasinski’s take on the character made Ryan more interesting than ever before and finally led to this Andrew Bernstein film. Yet, this homecoming to the big screen just demands a U-turn.

“Ghost War” picks up after the events of Jack Ryan season 4. Ryan is no longer CIA, but a civilian, even if still working in the geopolitical field. He’s in Dubai when his former colleague, James Greer (Wendell Pierce), now Deputy Director of the CIA, asks him to pick up a courier for him. Next thing Ryan knows, Mike November (Michael Kelly), a former CIA station chief of Venezuela and now a contractor for hire, is his security detail.

The simple favor turns deadly, and soon enough Ryan is pulled into another mission, this time involving a covert group of rogue agents led by a shadow from Greer’s past, an ex-British agent, Liam Crown. Ryan and Mike are forced to team up with British MI6 agent Emma Marlow. Meanwhile, Greer must read in the CIA director and his former mentee, Elizabeth Wright, on Crown’s plan to resurrect Operation Starling, which was shut down years ago.

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For one, “Ghost War”, written by Aaron Rabin and John Krasinski, based on a story by Krasinski and Noah Oppenheim, feels too hollow and low-stakes when compared to the usual intricately detailed plots of the series. That’s not to say it doesn’t have potential. If anything, the film puts into stark perspective just how good this would’ve been had it unfolded over a season, with proper time devoted to building the stakes as Ryan tries to unravel the layers of conspiracy. 

Furthermore, the geopolitical stakes woven into every season ensured “Jack Ryan” wouldn’t suffer second-screen viewing. It respected audience intelligence. The film’s focus is more on action and personal ghosts, and it’s fairly engaging. But its grip loosens and attention meanders, especially in parts when the characters are waxing eloquent about duty, honor and other speechy-y, preachy things. Thankfully, Mr. Ryan’s instincts stay sharp and pull us back in.

John Krasinski has this character down so pat that the change in medium has had no impact on how effective and convincing his Jack Ryan is. Whether he picks up a gun, a quippy banter with Mike and Emma or details and patterns that only his analyst brain might spot, Krasinski is dialled in, which sells Jack Ryan’s earnestness to serve a country that keeps failing him. He is the biggest reason this film works as it does.

The same goes for Wendell Pierce’s Greer, who brings the intensity and “goddamns” when reunited with fellow “Suits” alum, Max Beesley. Sienna Miller as Emma Marlow is decent, but lets the true leads shine, who, along with Krasinski and Pierce, must include Michael Kelly. He brings excellent comic relief and a sense of humanness to the character by not being too slick.

"Jack Ryan: Ghost War" feels a natural progression for the franchise. But it will need to sharpen its execution and alter its DNA to fit the new format. Or it will continue to redirect fans to rewatching the show and missing the good old times.