Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan Review: John Krasinski’s Final Mission Thrills to the End

by Tom July 3, 2023

In the spirit of Tom Clancy’s masterfully woven tales of high-stakes espionage, we return to the covert realm of Jack Ryan for its climactic finale. This last act on Prime Video, brings back our intrepid hero, Jack Ryan, incarnated by the compelling John Krasinski, to face his most challenging assignment yet. True to the intricate plot lines and edge-of-your-seat suspense that characterize Clancy’s celebrated ‘Ryanverse’, this concluding season spares no effort in pushing the narrative boundaries. Armed with a stellar cast, high-octane action sequences, and a plot that unravels like a spy’s cryptic coded message, this six-episode farewell is anything but a quiet adieu.

The narrative catapults viewers straight into the deep end, commencing with our eponymous hero, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski), subjected to torture in the murky corners of Myanmar. But this is just the storm before the calm. The narrative masterfully backtracks to present the chaos that led to this moment, sewing together a multi-layered plot of political assassinations, international drug trade, and dark secrets lurking within the CIA corridors.

John Krasinski, transitioning from the affable paper salesman in “The Office” to the formidable field officer at the CIA, delivers a nuanced performance, ably juggling the dichotomy of a desk analyst and an action hero. The return of Abbie Cornish as Cathy Mueller rekindles an old flame and reintroduces a dash of romance, albeit with a relationship that could use a little more sparks. Wendell Pierce’s James Greer tugs at the heartstrings, providing a mature counterbalance to the high-energy dynamics and reminding us of the personal costs behind their occupational hazards.

Newcomer Michael Peña’s introduction as the enigmatic Domingo Chavez adds a twist of lime to this potent narrative cocktail. The character’s multi-layered allegiances and motivations keep the audience on their toes. While the show certainly capitalizes on Peña’s prowess, a little more depth to his character would have been a delightful addition.

One of the season’s highlights is its deftly woven narrative that maintains a tight balance between the personal and the political, the global and the local. Season 4 keeps the established tradition of its predecessors, meticulously juxtaposing elements of everyday life with the startling realities of the military-industrial complex. Still, in its attempts to offer glimpses of humanity amidst the spy-world mechanics, it occasionally feels forced.

Compared to its previous seasons, the final installment takes a bolder swing at integrating its characters’ personal lives into the narrative fabric, a move that makes for a richer, more textured storyline. However, it’s the convoluted global conspiracy that remains the show’s pièce de résistance, aligning it with Clancy’s legacy of intricate geopolitical thrillers.

“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” Season 4 is a fitting farewell to an established franchise, maintaining the deft blend of action, drama, and intrigue that fans have come to love. While it stumbles in parts, the season stands as a testament to the show’s overall quality, proving that in the realm of action-packed television, Jack Ryan still has plenty of punches to pull.

RATING: 4.0 out of 5

Jack Ryan Season 4 is now available on Amazon Prime Video.