The Recruit

For some reason or another, this movie wasn't really accepted by the majority of the audience and I wonder why that is. I'm not saying it is a masterpiece, but this is still a movie with Al Pacino and Colin Farrell. Both actors and especially Al Pacino are normally good for some decent fun and some good acting and it wasn't any different in this movie.

This movie tells us the story of James Clayton (Colin Farrell), a young computer graduate who is recruited by Walter Burke (Al Pacino) to work for the CIA. Despite Clayton's unconventional attitude, Burke sees in him one of the best agents the CIA can wish for. That's why he'll guide Clayton through the difficult training courses and helps him to quickly rise through the ranks. Once the training period is over Clayton gets a special assignment, he'll have to detect a mole that has infiltrated in the CIA. But will his training be enough and was Burke right about the fact that this may well be the best agent ever?

This movie is perhaps not the most original thriller ever, but it delivers everything that it is asked for. It's a good movie, full of suspense and decent acting. And for those who are interested: it also gives an insight on how the trainees are recruited, how they are prepared to be a spy and what they learn to survive. I don't know anything about it, but I guess it all looked pretty accurate. Anyway, I enjoyed watching this movie and I give it a 7.5/10.

Ironic this movie's made by Spyglass? Or is it? Isn't there ambiguity there as well?

Nothing is what it seems.

Yes the writers could have gone over their screenplay and given it another one-two and that may have raised the caliber another notch, but this is still good entertainment. It won't change your life, but it will be a well spent couple of hours.

And it's true the movie could in theory have had a more sophisticated (ambiguous) ending, but there comes a time, after wading through all the trollop on the market, that one just sinks back and decides to enjoy a better movie for all it's worth.

And this is such a movie: directed by the capable Roger Donaldson who directed the taut thriller No Way Out and co-authored by a writer on The Natural, this one keeps going at a brisk pace with excellent editing and super soundtrack from Klaus Badelt of POTC1 fame. Farrell - who actually comes off smaller than life what with all the tripe written about him, and that's not a bad thing - and former fashion model Moynahan make the sparks fly. You feel for the protagonists and that's an essential ingredient of any good movie.

But Pacino: he's great at whatever he does but is he fated to have secondary roles now? Bah.

There's a bit of a 'Spy Game' feel to things but there's no shameless copying going on. There just aren't many movies in this genre. And Spy Game doesn't have the thrill and suspense this one has. Yes, you might eventually figure everything out before the denouement, but you won't be upset. And odds are you won't figure everything out anyway - some yes; all of it - no.

As for that ending: some people would perhaps prefer more ambiguity. On several planes. Others would say the ending is ambiguous enough. At least on one plane, perhaps several.

Nothing is what it seems.

The training scenes and all in the beginning gave the impression that the rest would make a decent thriller. The synopsis too adds to the viewers curiosity. However, it's just another predictable thriller with flawed writing, average performances and not-so-flattering direction. I thought Farrell's James Clayton was supposed to be highly intelligent but his actions and reactions say otherwise. Likewise for Pacino's Walter Burke. It even seems outdated (I mean the CIA's headquarters have no hard drive? come on!) and on top of that technology is a significant part of the film but it just looks poor and obsolete. All three of the main performers, that is, Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan and Colin Farrell are merely passable (yes, Pacino does his trademark shouting in the end but this time it's funny, unintentionally). The screenplay doesn't have enough grit to keep one engaged and the premise is too familiar and unbelievable. Anyway, 'The Recruit' has nothing new to offer.

In "The Recruit" a computer whiz (Farrell) is recruited to be trained as a CIA operative and ends up playing cat and mole inside the agency while keeping the audience wondering who's "cat" and who's "mole". The film is a slick shoot with a convoluted plot which tries to work the notion that in the spy game no one can trust anyone. Unfortunately the film is dumbed down, full of plot holes and obvious contrivances, doesn't work well in the human drama, and relies too much on techno-junk and gobbledygook computer hacking spy stuff. Though "The Recruit" isn't much of a movie given the talent behind it, it is busy and keeps you guessing all the way to the conclusion. An okay watch for Pacino fans and anyone in the mood for a lukewarm spy flick. (B-)

When computer hacker and barman James Clayton is approached by CIA recruiter Walter Burke he is enticed by offers of information about his father who died in a plane crash, supposedly in the employment of Shell Oil. On the farm (the CIA training facility) Clayton learns that everything is all part of training. However in a world where every act is a deception and everyone holds secrets not everything is as it seems as friends and lovers conceal deception and treachery.

With two real good names at the head of the cast this was an easy draw for me – I wanted to see it before I even knew what it was about and was able to get preview tickets. The main thing to know is that this is a very mainstream thriller. I thought it may have some subversive comments to make about the role of the CIA in this post 9-11 world but it is very straight. As such it is very self contained and never really wanders outside it's parameters and even the computer programme that makes up the second half is never given a global view.

Although this may take away from the impact it can have as a bit of political commentary it does mean that it moves a little more freely and is very entertaining at it's best. The main weakness it has is that it is too twisty. Films that have shock twists usually are shocking because they only have one big twist as opposed to several. The Recruit has so many twists that, after the first 15 minutes, you expect everything you see to be a twist and thus you take away from it's impact. It still has clever bits but I found myself more surprised when things turned out to be what they seemed as opposed the twist I was waiting for.

Pacino is really good in the lead as he gets to play a mysterious sort of teacher type. It is nothing that really stretches his range but he is very watchable. Proving that he does have potential, Farrell is really magnetic when he is onscreen. I have seen him in Phone Booth only a few weeks ago and really like him now. He is sexy but also keeps an air of realism that makes me buy into him (even when his character is a bit Bondish). The support cast are OK but the male duo in the lead basically hold the attention by themselves.

Overall this was a pretty enjoyable thriller that maybe overdoes the twists to the point that you expect them. The leads are good and the film plays well with lots of spy coolness. One thing to watch for is the sign at one point that reads `The George Bush Centre for Intelligence', the audience I was in gave a murmur of laughter when they spotted it!