When the words "national security" and "military intelligence" are two of the most repeated phrases in the news, it's not surprising that Hollywood decided to exploit American interest in the government's intelligence agencies.
"The Recruit" focuses on the mother of all spy outfits, the CIA. James Clayton (Colin Farrell) is a young computer whiz who forgoes a bright but ordinary future for a dangerous and covert career in U.S. intelligence. He is led down this path by a combination of Walter Burke (Al Pacino), a smooth-talking operative for the agency, and doubts about his father's mysterious, on-the-job death.
Clayton quickly excels in the CIA training camp known as "the farm," but once he is admitted into the agency and assigned an important mission by Burke, he realizes that "nothing is what it seems." With a series of plot twists comparable in number only to the cinematic "milestone" of "Wild Things," the viewer is taken on a twisted journey where each answer only leads to more questions.
The film's greatest strength is its cast. Pacino's performance brings together the best aspects of his portrayal of a sharp-minded detective in Chris Nolan's "Insomnia" with the manipulative fast tongue he used as Satan in "The Devil's Advocate." All in all, "The Recruit" features classic Pacino - which is always more than satisfactory.
Farrell also adds credibility to the film by being a natural for the role in much the same way that his character is a natural CIA agent.
Aside from its two lead actors, however, the film has little to go on.
If one doesn't find Hollywood standbys boring, this movie won't disappoint. It follows the formula of introducing the characters and a thin plot, then letting it all spin out of control in such a way that it leaves the viewer without any surprises, feelings or even mildly interesting questions. While it is engaging to see all of the interesting ways the CIA uses its advanced technology for the purposes of surveillance and espionage, it doesn't offer much realistic insight into the way the CIA actually works, outside of using video cameras and inconspicuous tracking devices.
Of course, there is also a love interest to consider. If it weren't for that, this movie might actually be different from every other movie ever released by one of the major American studios. But don't worry, that isn't the case. The love interest is another student in Clayton's training class, Layla (Bridget Moynahan). As to be expected, Layla gives Clayton the cold shoulder at first but warms up as the movie drags on. Moynahan is attractive and talented, but the film fails to develop her character in any way to make it seem like her name shouldn't be "Ms. Generic."
The final nail in the coffin is the plot, which poses a number of interesting questions as to who is who, and what their true intentions are, then wrapping it all up neatly with a resolution that is so obvious, one doesn't even think the writers have the balls to use it.
Overall, this is a movie worth seeing but not paying money for. Use it as an excuse to put off doing homework, when your instinct to procrastinate kicks in and suddenly everything on TV seems a little more interesting.
On second thought, maybe you should go do some homework.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
