Customer Reviews

The Recruit [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Stars Colin Farrel and Al Pacino.

Colin Farrell plays James Clayton, a computer wizz whos talked into joining the CIAs training program, by top agent Walter Burke, played by Al Pacino. Clayton becomes the top of the class at "The Farm" and Burke takes him under his wing. From here the plot thickens and it keeps the audience guessing to whether Clayton is the good guy or not. Fantastic!!!!

This is a movie that I initially passed over, always finding something else to buy or borrow (as I don't steal), until I happened to catch the ending on television late one night.

By the next evening it was in my possession, and despite having already watched the ending, I found it to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience.

Al Pacino aced his role as Walter Burke, CIA trainer extraordinaire, and he's not a guy I would ever want to play poker with, even if I did play poker.

Colin Farrell's performance is pretty much like his other movies(except maybe "Alexander", but I haven't seen that yet, and I hate his blonde look), but he really does a great short, dark and handsome, tortured and persecuted thing. This time he's out of the phone booth and using his cell phone, whizzing through movie-style computer gibberish as James Clayton, the star recruit of the latest batch of CIA trainees.

Bridget Moynahan gives much the same performance as she does in "I, Robot", playing it smart and sassy with a real cute pout, and a concerned wrinkle.

Surprises and twists abound, and though you know it's all faked, and nothing is what it seems, it still draws you in. In retrospect, the ending really is the silliest part of the movie, the moral of the story being to sit down and relax whenever you see red dots before your eyes.

Amanda Richards

Have I missed something here? Have I missed the predictability and "aweful" script or something? Every review I read says this is a bad film, a dissappointing film, a mediocre film, a predictable film. Hey maybe I'm stupid, but I think this film is excellent and one of the most unpredictable films I've seen in my life. I think the acting is superb. I think the script suits. I think the two halves of the film fit perfectly and give this film it's originality. I think this is a good film.

However it's not excellent as very few films are excellent. But I'd definatly buy this DVD if I saw it in a shop. It all appears rather believable to me, even in the tests, and I was on the edge of my seat a few times too. Personnaly don't listen to other reviews, or at least wtch the film to give judgement yourself.

I don't normally go for action films but I loved this film! Al Pacino and Colin Farrell are brillant in it and the storyline is excellent. James Clayton (Farrell) is a computer wizz who is recruited by Walter Burke (Pacino) into the CIA and James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan) one of his fellow recruits. He is chosen to be a NOC and root out a mole. The suspense builds in a maze of gripping twists and turns, there are only 2 things James can count on - he can't trust anyone and nothing is as it seems. A truly excellent film - which is why I bought it! Top Class!

good film - got to write more words so I can briefly say good film - what is the point of this

I watched this film on Sky Movies on Christmas day and enjoyed it. i only seen the first 30 mins of the movie and then caught it again at the end of the day (it was on repeat) it was a good movie and wanted to re-live it.

Seemed a bit dated when I watched it again recently but the story remains compelling and it is a really good film. You can't really go wrong with Pacino anyway - but the addition on Farrell is a good one... and I really enjoyed it.

One of the best films ever, with Pacino giving a top dollar Pacino performance. Kepps you there all the way and is a must for all Pacino lovers!

s i m p l y d o e s n ' t g e t a n y b e t t e r !

For the first hour this is a well written film with Colin Farrell at a school for spies, and Al Pacino as a mentor who may or may not be looking out for him. The characters are well sketched and the plot is pleasantly twisty. Then they leave the school for spies, the plot becomes vastly less believable, the twists keep coming, steadily becoming less plausible and less unexpected. By the end you start feeling that the only reasonable explanation for some characters behaving the way they do, is to supply yet another plot twist.

Having said all that, Farrell and Pacino are engaging. This is a film that relies on classy direction and classy writing, the entire body count is only three people, and the action is minimal. Despite this apparent lack of thrills, this is a gripping and engaging film throughout.

If this film had managed to keep up the momentum of the first hour it would be a solid classic, as it is, it is a decent family watch.