Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 27, 2022

There's been a hodgepodge of Tom Clancy film adaptations over the decades with various names vying to face the franchise. First there was Alec Baldwin as Jack Ryan, then Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, and Chris Pine as Jack Ryan, and finally (for now) John Krasinski as Jack Ryan. Now there's Michael B. Jordan as Tom Clancy's other hero, John Clark, who has also been portrayed by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber as a supporting character in other movies. Suffice it to say, consistency has not been one of the film series' strong suits, but story and excitement are certainly reliable staples. Without Remorse is the long-awaited film adaptation of Clancy's famous 1993 novel introducing John Clark; it has been in development almost as long as the book has been on shelves. Was the wait worth it? Yeah.

In Aleppo, Syria, a covert U.S. military unit, based off intel from the CIA, rescues a CIA operative held hostage. However, the captors (who have been killed) are Russian military. Several months later, Russian operatives in the United States work off a hit list to systematically eliminate the SEALs who were on that mission. That includes Senior Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan). His pregnant wife is killed and he is severely wounded in the firefight inside his home. He barely survives his injuries, and the emotional scars prove more detrimental than the physical ones. Now, with the CIA refusing to press the issue further, Kelly takes it upon himself to lead a mission for personal and national revenge but discovers a deeper conspiracy that will redefine the most crucial moments of his life.

As noted, the film was worth the wait. It's not a classic -- it's not The Hunt for Red October in terms of storytelling, acting, drama, and cinematic workmanship -- but this is a rock-solid Action film that blends what might in lesser hands be tired Action motifs and plotting tripes. In good hands here, however, the material is elevated into something very agreeable and worthwhile. Much of that is due to Michael B. Jordan who inhabits the character with impressive depth and understanding of the physical and emotional strains that the story takes on his body and his spirit. Jordan clearly wants this to be a franchise character and this film to be a franchise starter. It may not be, but it deserves to be, and he deserves to be the longtime face of John Clark, as Ford was Jack Ryan. Jordan's physical work is matched by his internal involvement with the character and film, and he, and largely he alone, wills it above and beyond a throwaway midrange experience into something that teeters on the edge of "special."

The action is very good. It's not on par with a Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible movie but there are some superb set pieces and gun play at work that elevate the material well beyond what could have been flatly staged and very tired military gunplay. The film proves its commitment to some serious high energy and well-conceived action which balances the need for both excitement and dramatic support. The viewer will never feel like the film is just turning a new corner to introduce a new action scene; rather, they are all intimately necessary to the plot, and the sense of emotional resonance that pulses through every shot fired certainly adds to the overall cinematic intensity. It's good stuff that genre and Clancy fans should enjoy.

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Paramount brings Without Remorse to Blu-ray with a well-rounded 1080p transfer. The picture proves well capable of capturing essential detail with positive command, notably in facial close-ups but also considering the density and definition of various examples of military gear, war-torn locales, and the like. The film is not so texturally rich as some others, either structurally in-camera or in terms of how the Blu-ray reveals the most precise examples thereof, but this is a good, solid, screen-commanding presentation for core definition. Colors are fine; much of the film takes place in grim low light interiors and nighttime exteriors where blacks and grays and blues are vital and handled well. However, the odd daytime exterior or well-lit interior offers the best examples of the transfer's color grading prowess, revealing vivid primaries dialed into neutral contrast and temperature settings. Black level depth is solid though never quite perfect, flirting with both crush and a push to a dark gray in spots. Skin tones look fine. Noise is present in low light situations (see the 30–31-minute mark). Overall, however, this is a solid, effective, and visually satisfying release.

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Although 7.1 and Atmos tracks are the new audio "in fashion" encodes, Tom Clancy's Without Remorse proves that there is still a lot of life to be found in the good old standard DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless presentation. The track is expertly presented, sourced from the film's finely engineered audio experience. All elements are in precise, working order. Music is well balanced for aggression and clarity, spacing and subwoofer support. Listeners will be pleased with the exactness and sonic smoothness with which it presents. Action scenes are a treat. While gunplay can sometimes sound fairly low volume, giving favor to score (see the rooftop sequence towards film's end), most of the time gunfire hits hard and with rock-solid clarity and surround engagement. Additional action scenes and explosions pack a good, sturdy punch. A car crash at the 34:28 mark and an explosion at the 1:07:30 mark are great examples of the potent low-end response. Lesser, but no less critical, environmental elements are pleasure for authenticity and immersion. Dialogue is, unsurprisingly, clear, well prioritized, and center positioned for the duration.

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Tom Clancy's Without Remorse contains four featurettes. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• John Kelly Reborn (1080p, 13:03): Remaining faithful to the original books and video games, updating the story for the modern day, costumes and authenticity, weapons and military training and the importance of realistically portraying the military, Jordan's performance and embrace of the material and filmmaking process, and more.
• Watch Your Six (1080p, 12:10): A closer look at the commitment to making an authentic military-based film.
• Battle Mode (1080p, 14:12): Exploring the making of some of the key action and stunt scenes.
• Murmansk (1080p, 8:10): Building the film's climactic action sequence and intense third act.

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Tom Clancy's Without Remorse will not go down as the best Clancy film but if it can somehow spawn the franchise, it deserves to be the start of something great in the larger Clancy-verse (is that a term?). Jordan is special in the lead, and he manages to take otherwise hackneyed material, with the help of some good workmanship off camera and build a movie that is far better than it has any business being. Paramount's Blu-ray delivers solid video and audio and a good little batch of extras. Recommended!