The Recruit
Sunday, February 9th, 2003Spy adventures are becoming more popular, maybe in part to the current world climate that we face. The Recruit is a spy in training movie. The movie tries to keep you guessing as to whom you can trust, an effort that fails. Want a spy story that keeps you guessing? Try Alias on ABC.
In The Recruit, Colin Farrell is the trainee and Al Pacino plays the sage mentor (been there done that, is that well about dry?) who always has just the right thing to say. The first part of the movie shows up training at “The Camp.” Evedently CIA training is all a mind game and the first half of the movie wants you to guess was is real and what is simply an illusion that is just training. The second half plays out as Colin is choosen as a NOC agent who must gather information and stop the people with in the CIA from stealing information. Here is were the movie starts to break apart until it finally disenigrates into an overly dramatic mess by the conlusion of the movie. Utimately, I was disapointed for two reasons. 1) There is some spying, but not much. 2) Not much action. When I went to see this movie (sadly after leaving Chicago cause I was sitting on the front row) I wanted two things from it, and I only got a taste of both. Then to top it off, the puzzle at the center of the movie was not all that puzzeling.
Entertainment: C
Worldview: Training is all about lieing and killing. How to best decieve and kill other people. A couple romps in the bed as well as the always present cursing are present. The main character does try to do the right thing, only after doing all the wrong things.
Rated: PG-13
ScreenIt: ScreenIt The Recruit
Read a reveiw in Entertainment Weekly
Read the discussion at Christianity Today.
