Without Remorse 2021

      This movie is based on a novel by Tom Clancy.  An elite Navy SEAL uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking justice.  John Clark comes back from a mission and Russian soldiers murder his pregnant wife along with their unborn baby girl.  This is in retaliation for his role in a top secret op and it is an origin story about hero John Clark.  He is one of the most popular characters in author Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan universe.  Sr. Chief John Kelly is ready to pursue the assassins at all costs.  He joins forces with a fellow SEAL and a shadowy CIA agent.  His mission exposes a covert plot that threatens to engulf the U.S. and Russia into war.  He is torn between personal honor and loyalty to his country.  He must fight his enemies if he hopes to avert disaster and also to reveal the powerful figures behind the conspiracy.

     This is a violent action thriller but it is notable because it focuses on a Black military hero.  His commanding officer is a Black woman and her interactions are always professional, platonic and powerful.  John Kelly is vengeful and coolly takes actions that would likely be impossible to survive in real life.  The movie's violence and moments of peril are often intense.  Expect military conflicts that involve lots of artillery including assault rifles and explosives.  Also knife attacks and hand-to-hand physical combat.  Characters are shot in the head at close range and set on fire and there are intense plane crash scenes.  Characters drink, kiss briefly and there's some strong language.  This film feels and looks like Tom Clancy is behind the scenes but this isn’t a Jack Ryan movie!!  3* (This movie is OK)

109 min, Action directed by Steano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan, Will Staples with Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, Lauren London, Jacob Scipio, Todd Lasance, Jack Kesy, Lucy Russell, Cam Gigandet, Luke Mitchell, Artjom Gilz, Brett Gelman, Merab Ninidze, Rae Lim.

Note:  Imdb 5.8* out of 10* with 17,720 reviews, Rotten Tomatoes 44% with 149 critic reviews, 45% with 500+ audience scores, Metacritic 42 out of 100 with 37 critic reviews 3.8 out of 10 with 63 user scores, Common Sense Media Tara McNamara, 3* out of 5*, age 15+, 1* positive messages, sex, drinking, drugs & smoking, 3* positive role models, language, Roger Ebert Odie Henderson 1 1/2*.

Special Note:  The second film in which Michael B. Jordan plays a Navy Seal the first being Black Panther (2018).  Jodie Turner-Smith plays Lieutenant Commander Karen Greer, she is a former Navy SEAL and SEAL team commander.  In reality, to date (April 2021) only 1 of 3 women have completed SEAL training.  She did not have SEAL as her top choice so she did not join the Navy SEAL program.  

Mistakes:  Karen Greer's rank is O-4 and it is technically the rank of Lieutenant Commander.  In daily usage a Naval O-4 is addressed as "Commander" just as a Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade (JG) is addressed as "Lieutenant".  Throughout the film Karen Greer is addressed as "Lieutenant Commander” and this would be her very formal title.