After terrorizing television audiences in Apple TV’s Hijack, Max Beesley is here to shine as the ultimate antagonist in Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War.
Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) is thrust back into the realm of espionage after haphazardly responding to a cry for help from his former CIA boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce). When his mission in the United Arab Emirates starts to unravel, he has to join forces with MI6 officer Emma Marlowe (Sienna Miller) to recover declassified information. Once they discover they’ve both been compromised, they have to construct a plan to find Liam Crown (Beesley) and save themselves.
Thankfully, Jack reunites with Mike November (Michael Kelly), so audiences can laugh a little during the many exchanges of gunfire. All the gunfire. So. Much. Gunfire. But it’s more than welcome as this runs as a straightforward action flick. No need for unnecessary sex or some pitiful, predictable love interest. Ghost War fires on all cylinders from start to finish, while also serving as a free advertisement for Travel Dubai. Because why else would we have to know that the characters are consistently flying on Emirates?
I’m still not sold on Krasinski being an action hero, but at the very least, he doesn’t disappoint. Miller was awesome as the British badass who looked down on the American for… Well, being American. He eventually earns her respect and, as you could guess, they eventually coexist peacefully. Beesley is a great villain, full stop. If you need a British antagonist, he should always be the default choice. Jack’s colleague Mike is always up for helping where he can, even though he’s always going to operate at about 80% efficiency.
The action is great, the fight scenes are what you’d expect, and it’s not so gruesome that you’d have to look away. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from a Tom Clancy film. So while nobody asked for this, it’s not a let-down in the least bit. The overly patriotic exchange between Pierce and Krasinski in two different scenes was about the only downside to the film. The patriotism didn’t feel natural at all, and instead, felt forced. There’s no need to force-feed me what it means to be an American. Just shoot people and make things go boom. It’s an action film, not a recruitment video.
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War gets an 8.5 out of 10. The film hits all expectations and has a decent storyline. It’s definitely worth a watch.
The film premieres globally on Prime Video on May 20, 2026
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Prime Video
Genre: Action/Thriller
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date on Digital: May 20, 2026