I despise those films that entice you with intriguing trailers, but when you actually fork over the seven bucks at the theater you’re miserably disappointed. “The Recruit” shows hints of this throughout; disappointment that is, because if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the film with all the crap cut out.
Seasoned veteran Al Pacino stars as Walter Burke, a CIA talent scout who invites the physically fit MIT-grad James Clayton (Colin Farrell) to “The Farm,” the CIA training fields where green recruits are molded into full-fledged agents. Clayton is hesitant at first but hes soon drawn in when the subject of his missing father is broached, suggesting that the CIA is somehow involved with his disappearance.
The brutally demanding training schedule begins to wear on Clayton and he soon finds himself unsure of whom to trust because, as were repeatedly reminded throughout the movie, nothing is as it seems. At The Farm, though, the CIAs newest recruit meets Layla (Bridget Moynahan) and, after a few embarrassing and compromising moments, they hit it off.
“The Recruit” is a fun CIA thriller that has an entertaining middle squashed in between a weak beginning and a lame ending. Farrell, however, is once again phenomenal as Clayton, and his name belongs alongside guys like Sam Rockwell in the “Next Big Thing” category. In fact, if it weren’t for Farrell’s strong performance, the The Recruit would have been a monumental flop.
Pacino once again flashes his acting chops, but it’s the same familiar story line, the same familiar characters and most importantly, the all-too-familiar ending that ruins the experience. Played out like a washed-up “Training Day,” “The Recruit” is fun for a while, but it soon becomes unappealing. Apparently, “nothing is as it seems” applies to movie trailers as well. Tough luck.
2.5 / 5 Stars
Starring: Colin Farrell, Al Pacino, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht
Director: Roger Donaldson
