American Assassin

— There are plenty of overly independent, slightly rogue, intelligence-trained, tough guys operating in films with plenty of special effects backing them up. In this case it’s the CIA’s Mitch Rapp who is young and short fused, but certainly competent thanks to training from his crusty, legendary, ex-SEAL mentor. He’s pitted against a particularly nasty enemy and triumphs in the end. Did any of us think he wouldn’t? It’s a shame he doesn’t seem to have much personality behind most of it. Meanwhile, the audience is forced to think about how emotions can cloud reason and the difference between revenge and retribution, de rigueur for these kinds of films. it’s not a bad film and I’d say it’s perfectly adequate end-of-summer action, but if this is the first of a series, they desperately need to pump up the backstory and add more personality to Rapp’s character. Right now his crusty mentor, played by Michael Keaton, is the best part of the franchise.

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[2017. 112 min. Directed by Michael Cuesta. Starring Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Latham Taylor Kitsch, and Shiva Negar.]
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/reviews/travers-on-american-assassin-spy-thriller-is-irresistible-w503194