ACTION. “Jack Ryan: Ghost War.” / “Nobody 2.” / “God Is a Bullet.” / “Dangerous.” / “American Ultra.” / “House of the Rising Sun.”

“Jack Ryan: Ghost War” (2026, Amazon Prime) political action thriller. A retired Jack Ryan is reluctantly pulled back into espionage by CIA Director James Greer. Ryan travels to Dubai to recover intel from an MI6 contact, only to discover that a rogue black-ops unit called "Starling" is enacting a terror plot in London. 


       If you've seen all Jack Ryan movies and finished all four seasons of the Amazon Prime TV series, this ghost thing is an obligatory bore. And for those who are not familiar with the CIA's black-ops and military contractors would be lost as to why these former war buddies are killing each other. 

       Everything here is generic blow-’em-up and shoot-’em-up whambam, all 1 hour and 45 minutes of the movie, which by the way, is again dimly-lit!🎥💻📽


“Nobody 2” (2025, Netflix) action thriller. Sequel to “Nobody” (2021). Retired assassin Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) attempts to take a relaxing family vacation to a nostalgic, small-town amusement park. Unfortunately, his trip is derailed when he crosses paths with a corrupt park operator. Stars Bob Odenkirk. 



       This is all about unbelievable action-hero shenanigans by an unbelievably unlikely Hutch Mansell. The fight sequences are cartoonishly silly but nevertheless enjoyable. This sequel measures up to the original. No complaints here. Bob Odenkirk is the weirdest dude of all. He's like an MMA-fighting Walter White! 

       And kudos to Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto. 🎥💻📽


“God Is a Bullet” (2023, Fandango) action thriller, written and directed by Nick Cassavetes. A dedicated detective discovers his ex-wife was murdered and his teenage daughter abducted by a satanic cult. 



       Nick Cassavetes indulged us in a bloated exercise of tired cliches that is as boring as Maika Monroe's cartoonish hysterics, Karl Glusman's eerily stereotypical Cyrus, and January Jones’ daytime soapy Mo. I digress in lampooning Jamie Foxx's tattoos, although Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's restrained performance is just fine.

       The only good things here are songs by David Bowie and Bob Dylan in the background. Yet at a bizarre 2 hours and 36 minutes of pretentious mayhem? WTF?!? But I endured it (while doing three other chores at home). 🎥💻📽


“Dangerous” (2021, Sling) action thriller. A reformed sociopath breaks parole to investigate his brother's mysterious death on a remote Canadian island. He soon finds himself locked in a siege with heavily armed mercenaries looking for hidden World War II treasure. Stars Scott Eastwood and Mel Gibson. 



       This film was nominated at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in two categories as well as in two categories at the Golden Raspberry Awards. Which easily says this project both gets a thumbs-up and a thumb-down. Most critics, however, assigned “generally unfavorable” reviews, which I concur.

        First of all, I find the entire premise implausible or plain silly. Deductively unbelievable. Second, all characters are boring cliches whose behaviors seem like supplied by an AI profiler. You know what I mean? Third, there's nothing new or interesting in the action sequences.

       Yet this: “Dangerous” hit Top Ten in 17 countries across various streaming services. You dig? 🎥💻📽


“American Ultra” (2015, Amazon Prime) action comedy. A stoner discovers he was part of a secret government program and is a sleeper agent. Stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart etcetera. 


       Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are a charming couple. But Topher Grace as the villainous Adrian Yates is annoyingly over-acting. The real highlights though in this movie, with a drained premise, is the high-wired albeit cartoonish action sequences. Watching the usually clumsy, nerdy Jesse is already an eeriely interesting thing to watch.

       The writer Max Landis had planned to write a sequel to the film, titled "International Ultra." However, plans were scrapped following the film's poor box office performance. 🎥💻📽


“House of the Rising Sun” (2011, Sling) action drama. About an ex-con and former vice cop who works security at a mob-owned strip club and illegal casino.


       Dave Bautista has potential as an action superstar. Talks less, beats up more bad guys more, in the mold of Sly, Arnie, Clint, Mr Statham etcetera. This movie has a story trajectory that would have ample room for Mr Bautista to flaunt his brawns and stuff. It didn't. 

       Brian A. Miller's direction is soft, no-bones, and lazy. Next Dave movie, please! 🎥💻📽


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