Flicks, Daniel Rutledge
This adaptation of a ’90s Tom Clancy novel should be trashy action-thriller fun but is mostly a disappointment. The setup is really good, using actual recent conflict and the current geopolitical situation as a great jumping-off point. The Syrian Civil War and frosty Russo/US relationship are brilliant real-world touchstones that give this an edge over action thrillers whose characters and government agencies are entirely make-believe. Unfortunately, that’s all squandered on a rote narrative that’s as predictable as it is silly. I’d be totally fine with predictability and silliness if the action was good enough, but it’s not.
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