Without Remorse – A Bland Action Thriller (Early Review)

Michael B. Jordan has arguably little to prove when it comes to the action genre, let alone any genre. He has the looks, the charisma, and the physicality to create a compelling action star. Without Remorse (or Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse), the latest property in the ever-popular Tom Clancy universe is perhaps the personification of this with the film putting him front and center as the main selling point of the film. That being said, he is undoubtedly the best part of the film as he certainly put in the work both in front of and behind the camera. Meanwhile, the film itself is action-packed with the spectacle many would expect from this genre but in the end, all of that is weighed down by a lackluster revenge storyline leading to an utterly ridiculous twist. Either way, this is inevitably the start of something meant to be bigger than this film and last long after it. However, that’s not much of an excuse.

Without Remorse follows elite Navy SEAL John Kelly (Jordan), a man who found himself in the middle of an international conspiracy and seeking justice following the murder of his pregnant wife as he set his sights on the squad of soldiers responsible for the hit. Now a broken man with nothing left to lose and stuck between his loyalty to his country and that of his family, he must dispatch all enemies without remorse (hence the title) and without triggering a war. Ultimately, the film was at its best whenever it featured Kelly being an absolute badass and strutting his Navy SEAL skills, acting without remorse. Essentially with nothing left to lose, very little held him back as he could do things that not everyone could do considering his position and his skill set. It was all about not crossing the line.

Despite Kelly’s revenge arc, this was only one part of a bigger picture and that consolidation was where Without Remorse somewhat fell off the rails. The hit on Kelly’s family was unfortunately part of a bigger conspiracy with dire implications but this angle was nowhere near as compelling as the revenge angle that led into it. Nevertheless, Kelly took that mindset into this stage of the story which still brought along some exciting moments and thrilling set pieces (not including the prior ones) upon his quest for the truth that set him on that path. That truth, surely the beginning of it as far as this franchise is concerned, was so silly that it only cheapened everything that happened up to that point.

As mentioned, the best part of Without Remorse was of course Jordan’s stellar performance as Kelly. He has the chops and charisma and put both on display here. His arc over the course of the film was a compelling one to watch and held his own from beginning to end, going from a cocky SEAL with the skills to back it up to the badass with nothing to lose. Tuner-Smith as Kelly’s commander and friend Karen Greer was also up to the task action-wise while their chemistry was powerful. They stood above the dialog which was mediocre for the most part with the “government talk” sticking out more than the rest.

At the end of the day, Without Remorse is a film that is sure to satisfy any viewers looking for an action and/or Michael B. Jordan film fix but many will be left wanting more which they will probably get anyway in future films.

still courtesy of Amazon Studios

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.