In the third season of ‘Jack Ryan’, Jack goes rogue to investigate the truth behind a Russian project that has been reactivated to ignite a war between Russia and the United States. The season is now streaming on Prime Video.
Story
Jack Ryan meets Zoya Ivanovna, the minister-counselor with the Russian Embassy, to extract information on the Sokol Project, which was shut down years ago.
Ivanovna brings credible information that it has been reactivated. On top of that, a completely functional weapon has been created from it.
After convincing his senior, Elizabeth Wright, that the threat is real, Ryan heads a team to retrieve the weapon using the SIM card provided by Ivanovna.
The team fails to find the weapon on the ship as suggested. Instead, they come across a man named Yuri, who claims that he helped build the weapon they are looking for.
Ryan’s team is forced to relocate to Greece after this botched mission. Yuri tells Jack about the Russian war plan called the Seven Days.
Soon, a group of armed men ambush Ryan and kill half of his team. Yuri dies, and Ryan is later informed about the assassination of Dmitry Popov, the Russian Defense Minister.
Upon hearing the news, Ryan realizes that the Russian war plan has kicked off with the assassination of Popov. It will end with the detonation of the nuclear bomb created by the Sokol Project.
Performances
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan struggles to be the hero he should be this season. Every character looks forward to him making the decision, but most of the time, Krasinski fails to carry that confident demeanor he should.
He often looks confused, and the way he comes to a conclusion doesn’t feel exciting or path-breaking for the mission he is onto.
Wendell Pierce, who plays James Greer, and Michael Kelly, who plays Mike November, retain their performances for the most part of the season. Kelly is to be credited for some of the hilarious moments this season.
This season’s new additions fail to make an impression on the audience. The characters are half-cooked, and none of them are particularly good.
Positives
The show plays it safe by staying true to its usual format, which is evident in all three seasons. The viewers might’ve become comfortable with how the story plays out in ‘Jack Ryan’, as the process is quite similar to the other spy thrillers.
The show would’ve been more convincing and intriguing if the flashback sequences had been fleshed out properly.
The time when Russia and the original Sokol Project fell provided some interesting conflicts and personalities that the viewers don’t get to see in the show’s present timeline.
Negatives
The political drama that the show has built is not spicy at all. It is bland, and the decisions fail to leave any impact on the characters or the viewers.
There are numerous sub-plots thrown right into the eight-episode drama. Despite having the same amount of episodes, the show feels long, and the plot takes ages to move forward at times.
The return of characters such as Tony is a complete waste. The storyline around Radek is also dispensable. Despite being promising at the beginning, the show hesitates to give Radek’s arc a good end.
The show also struggles with grabbing the attention of the viewers. The way it has been written, it hardly feels like Jack Ryan is on a mission that could change the world.
Jack Ryan, as a show, identifies itself as an action-thriller but backs out when it’s time to use this element to its advantage. The action is dull, and many of the unique action sequences haven’t been executed properly.
Review
‘Jack Ryan’ needs a lot of work if it aims to continue being Prime Video’s flagship show. The third season is less thrilling and bland. The regular crime procedurals on television are more adventurous than the third season of ‘Jack Ryan’.
Jack Ryan season 3
Director: Jann Turner, Kevin Dowling, David Petrarca
Date Created: 2022-12-21 00:00
1.5
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