A serviceable but generic espionage action sequel that leans hard on familiar beats, thin characterization, and TV-to-film scale without enough style or suspense to justify the upgrade. The cast is solid, but the consensus points to routine set pieces, a bland villain, and a look that feels undercooked for the big… Read more
Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Action · Thriller
Wed · 1h 47m
Director: Andrew Bernstein
Starring: John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Sienna Miller
Overview
Jack Ryan is reluctantly pulled back into espionage when an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy. Racing against time, he joins CIA allies Mike November & James Greer and sharp MI6 officer Emma Marlowe to battle a rogue black-ops unit in a high-stakes, deeply personal fight.
Director
Andrew Bernstein
Cast
John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, Sienna Miller
Curator Review
Verdict
A serviceable but generic espionage action sequel that leans hard on familiar beats, thin characterization, and TV-to-film scale without enough style or suspense to justify the upgrade. The cast is solid, but the consensus points to routine set pieces, a bland villain, and a look that feels undercooked for the big screen.
Best for
Viewers who want a straightforward, undemanding spy thriller
Fans of the Jack Ryan universe who are already invested in the characters
People in the mood for a fast, disposable action watch
Skip if
You want sharp plotting or genuinely tense espionage
You prefer polished theatrical-scale action over streaming-grade craft
You’re sensitive to generic, formula-driven franchise filmmaking
Overview
Ghost War aims for a bigger, more cinematic Jack Ryan outing, but the result sounds more like a functional extension of the series than a true event film. The setup has the right ingredients: covert missions, CIA infighting, MI6 support, and a rogue black-ops threat. In practice, though, the film seems to trade the character-driven intelligence of the franchise for familiar chases, gunfights, and procedural movement from one briefing room to the next.
Worth noting
The strongest element appears to be the cast, with John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce, and Sienna Miller giving the material some credibility. Even so, the reviews suggest the screenplay doesn’t give them much to do beyond moving the plot along. The villain is described as stock, the action as basic, and the overall experience as competent but forgettable.
Bottom line
If you enjoy this kind of geopolitical thriller as background entertainment, it may pass the time. But for most viewers, it sounds like a case of franchise efficiency without enough tension, texture, or invention to make it memorable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Geoff Ketchum (2★) · 516 likes
Temu Mission: Impossible + Dollar Tree Die Hard + Garage Sale Harrison Ford + Bunk from The Wire
Matt Singer (2★) · 339 likes
The World to The Mandalorian and Grogu: ”We have never seen a movie that looked more like a TV show.” Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War to The World: “Hold my beer.” The only one who gets their money’s worth here is Uber Eats for whatever they payed for that hilarious product integration.
matt lynch (1.5★) · 287 likes
Doesn't even reach the bar for adequacy. Looks like shit too.
pirateneckbeard (2.5★) · 255 likes
This seemed like a resetting of the table place... setting(ugh sorry) in which we were already acquainted with. Sure a lot of espionage very few characters to trust and we have Jack R(Jack K) mindfully trying to walk these lines in gaining trust while also not holding confidence in others. Honestly it's serviceable and I love the cast but it felt performative and besides some action elements, I found myself somewhat disengaged with the material. I think it's gonna work with some people cause it hit's a lot of the old same notes but not for thee.
Alucard (1.5★) · 246 likes
I’ve had more thrilling trips to the dentist
Themes
espionage, CIA operations, rogue black-ops, international conspiracy, reluctant hero, betrayal, high-stakes pursuit, franchise continuation