Film Review: The Recruit (2003)
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, not only shook the United States as a nation but also had a profound impact on the perception of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The intelligence failure that preceded the attacks tarnished the mystique surrounding the Agency, and many Americans began to question its competence. It took time for the CIA's reputation to recover, and during this period, Hollywood films dedicated to the Agency struggled to find success at the box office or critical acclaim. The 2003 film The Recruit was one of those casualties.
The protagonist is James Clayton (Colin Farrell), a young and brilliant MIT graduate who is approached by Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a seasoned CIA officer, in order to join the Agency's training program. At first hesitant, Clayton finally agrees and becomes CIA recruit, learning all kinds of new skills. As he of the program, he becomes entangled in a web of deception and intrigue, which might involve Layla (Bridget Moynahan), beautiful femake recruit to whom he feels attracted.
In strictly technical terms, The Recruit is a solid film, thanks to the competent direction of Roger Donaldson, an experienced New Zealand filmmaker who replaced James Foley during production. Donaldson's previous work, particularly the surprisingly effective 1987 spy thriller No Way Out, made him a more than suitable choice for this project. The film initially appears to be more serious and realistic depiction of modern intelligence work, partly thanks to Canadian locations, which pass for Washington, D.C. and its surroundings.
However, the casting choices almost immediately suggest that The Recruit is Hollywood mainstream production with all cliches and limitations that come with it. Colin Farrell, despite his character’s geeky background, looks too macho and "cool" to be entirely convincing as a CIA agent. Bridget Moynahan's serves mostly as eye candy and lacks the necessary chemistry with Farrell. The film's downfall becomes even more apparent in the final act, where Al Pacino's performance succumbs to his tendency to overact. The last twenty minutes are marred by a "clever" plot twist that can be easily predicted by even the least experienced viewers. This twist comes too late to completely wreck the film, but it nevertheless leaves viewers generally disappointed.
While the box office was solid, critics were mixed, and it didn’t take much for The Recruit to sink into oblivion and become one of the more obscure title in filmographies of all involved.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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