Entertainment - Movie Reviews
Updated: March 24, 2022

‘Without Remorse’ Review: A Predictably Lackluster Affair

By Sydney Elike
May 02, 2021
0

Despite the charming and charismatic presence of Michael B. Jordan, Stefano Sollima's Without Remorse turns out to be a dull movie, bereft of the thrills that are typical of Tom Clancy's stories.

Jordan plays John Kelly, a U.S. Navy Seal who takes it upon himself to find his own version of vengeance after his wife, unborn daughter, and members of his team are killed by unknown gunmen.

Based on the 1993 novel of the same name, Without Remorse sees the protagonist employ unorthodox methods in his quest for answers.

Without Remorse movie poster

The trail leads him to Russian soil and when he finally stumbles on the man he has been searching for, the answers point him right back to his own country.

I haven't read all of Clancy's books but I assume that the Without Remorse book should make for an interesting read. Sadly, that doesn't translate to the screen.

To be honest, what I saw after watching the movie was exactly what I expected. I only wish a talented actor like Michael B. Jordan was left out of it.

Jodie Turner-Smith and Michael B. Jordan in WITHOUT REMORSE/Image Source: Digital Spy

As the central character, John Kelly isn't compelling enough and the only reason the viewer wants him to succeed is because of his late wife.

The action scenes are mediocre at best, the plot mundane, and the antagonist forgettable and disappointing.

Jodie Turner-Smith (who plays Lieutenant Commander Karen Greer) seems miscast in the role. She was great in Queen and Slim but simply terrible here. Neither her poise nor words show that she is who her character is.

Without Remorse

Jamie Bell as Deputy Director Robert Ritter is an interesting character who is constantly at odds with John. The tension between the two men even though they appear to be on the same team elevates the plot somewhat but is not enough to sustain the viewer's interest.

The moment Guy Pierce (another wonderful actor who is wasted here) showed up, I said to myself, "This is the bad guy". I turned out to be right, of course.

There isn't any reasonable explanation why the villain does what he does and his demise proves to be as insignificant as his existence.

Guy Pierce in WITHOUT REMORSE/Image Source: Cinema Blend

In my opinion, this was a wasted effort as the resources used to make this film should have been channeled towards another more profitable venture.

Michael B. Jordan is one of my favorite actors and Jodie Turner-Smith earned my respect with Queen and Slim but here, their presence doesn't cut it.

From a poorly-written script to a faulty execution, Without Remorse is a movie that fails on almost all fronts.

Rating: 4/10.