“Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” is worth exactly what you pay for it. And possibly slightly less. Such is the verdict of The Next Reel Film Board this month as we take on the Kenneth Branagh-helmed thriller. It’s the fifth in the Ryan series, but the first not based on one of Tom Clancy’s novels — a sore point for many of us on the board. Writers Adam Cozad and David Koepp conjure up some interesting moments in a script that is otherwise awash in trite. But the biggest questions remain: Can Chris Pine pull off the fish-out-of-water clumsiness of Ryan? Can Kevin Costner fill the giant shoes of James Earl Jones in the critical mentor role? Can Keira Knightley handle the American accent? (Spoiler: Not really.) Join board regulars Tom Metz, Steve Sarmento, Chadd Stoops, Andy Nelson, and Pete Wright as they digest this serving of spy soup, with a health helping of Oscars 2014!
