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Stonepounder

(4,033 posts)
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 12:29 AM Sep 2018

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime - worth a watch.

Just got done watching and thought it was a pretty good thriller. It is an 8-parter and keeps the action and suspense up throughout. Not particularly deep or psychological, but just a good action/thriller.

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brewens

(13,400 posts)
1. I kind of got tired of Clancy after awhile. Seemed like a consistent white-wing agenda. I may be
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 12:40 AM
Sep 2018

mistaken if he has ever written about some right-wing terrorist threat. I seriously doubt that ever happened. He had Muslim and eco terrorists trying to kill us all though.

murielm99

(30,657 posts)
2. I understand.
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 12:52 AM
Sep 2018

I burned out on Clancy, too. He was good for awhile, then I had to move on. He is white-wing!

Stonepounder

(4,033 posts)
3. Well, FWIW
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 01:18 AM
Sep 2018

Yes, the bad guys are Muslim extremists. Greer is Ryan's boss and Greer is a African-American and a Muslim as well. Several high-ranking military officers and NatSec advisors are also AA.

And I quit reading Clancy when Ryan became President. And when Clancy started franchising out his name. Clancy has 'writing credit' for 'characters' and a bunch of others look like they wrote the story.

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)
6. I enjoyed him for awhile, but grew weary of his 'Schtick"
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 05:54 AM
Sep 2018

just as you mentioned. Clancy beyond being very right wing, is also very boring.

Nitram

(22,671 posts)
8. I too burned out on Clancy. I think it was Patriot Games with Harrison Ford that was the final
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 11:26 AM
Sep 2018

straw. That said, I just watched the first two episodes of the Netlfix series, and I thought it does a remarkable job of nuance and balance that includes a realistic and believable portrayal of the family life and motivations of the terrorists in the story. The Jack Ryan is also an interesting because he's not the typically macho character. A review I read criticized it for making Ryan a "weak character", but I liked the portrayal of an intellectual, rather humble, guy with possible PTSD because of experiences in Afghanistan as a Marine. Everyone assumes he's a desk jockey, and he is fine with that.

exboyfil

(17,857 posts)
5. 9/11 doomed Clancy's career
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 04:41 AM
Sep 2018

He already had Muslim terrorists setting off an atomic bomb killing 10s of 1000s of people. If anything the reaction in the country was subdued for that when compared how the country reacted to 9/11 - a much less serious terrorist action which was less coupled to a government action.

hlthe2b

(101,730 posts)
7. I haven't watched it, but Amazon is surely pushing it. To me, John Krasinski seems an odd choice
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 09:56 AM
Sep 2018

though, Tom Clancy's movies and books have never been a particular favorite of mine, so maybe that is flavoring my thoughts.

I've cut my cable back so much that I do tend to watch things on my already paid for amazon prime... so maybe I'll take a peak

stopbush

(24,378 posts)
9. I watched it. It's worth a viewing. SPOILERS
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 06:13 PM
Sep 2018

As in all political thrillers, movie conventions must be served...like the protagonist somehow being in the vicinity for every major plot twist. But that’s only disappointing if you’re expecting a lot more.

The writers do spend some time in the early episodes trying to humanize the terrorists and to explain how they became radicalized, but eventually we move on to the action movie stuff. Interesting that IMDB has been flooded with negative reviews from RWers complaining that Clancy’s Ryan character, the CIA et all have been recast as a bunch of liberal wimps.

John Krasinski is decent as a dramatic actor - one gets beyond seeing him as Jim Halpern within the first half hour of E1. He has his own take on Ryan. He doesn’t try to copy any of the mannerisms or characteristics that other actors have brought to the rôle. Good for him.

Again, worth watching. Not earth shattering, but not bad.

getting old in mke

(813 posts)
13. We also enjoyed it
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 11:16 AM
Sep 2018

Tied up too neatly and too quickly, two episodes weren't really enough for the problems set up in the previous six.

Also appreciated the effort to make the terrorists entirely human.

flamin lib

(14,559 posts)
10. It's worth watching. Criticisms up thread notwithstanding
Sun Sep 2, 2018, 08:46 PM
Sep 2018

keep in mind that this is a period piece of sorts. The first episodes take place shortly after 9/11 so the bad guys are middle eastern and clearly not characterized as Muslim but people from another country with a bone to pick. Think WW II movies. Nazies aren't Germans, their Nazies.

I found the acting credible, plotlines engaging, action exciting and see the beginnings of interpersonal relationships ala NCIS.

If Clancy's writing are the inspiration this could be another NCIS with 15 seasons.

Tripper11

(4,338 posts)
11. We just finished it...
Mon Sep 3, 2018, 03:33 AM
Sep 2018

We enjoyed it quite a bit, albeit there were several things that happened that in no way would have happened in real life.
As for entertainment value, I'd say a strong 7+

 

earthshine

(1,642 posts)
12. It was enjoyable, but not really thrilling or deep. 3.5 out of 5 stars
Thu Sep 6, 2018, 02:32 PM
Sep 2018

Just started The Expanse.

Amazon seems to have a better picture quality than Netflix streaming.

pnwest

(3,265 posts)
14. Oh The Expanse is good!! I'm pissed Season 3
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 11:00 PM
Sep 2018

isn’t free for Prime members yet. Waiting impatiently for that!

pnwest

(3,265 posts)
15. I'm having a hard time with John Krazinski
Tue Sep 11, 2018, 11:02 PM
Sep 2018

as Jack Ryan - he’s been the goofball character too often, and I can’t take him seriously. Other than that it’s much better than I thought it would be. Im still a big Clancy fan, gonna finish the series.

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