Movie Reviews: 'Without Remorse' And 'Percy Vs Goliath'

This weekend, fans of the Tom Clancy movie franchise are in for a treat! The latest entry in the late author's screen canon comes to life in "Without Remorse." The action thriller adventure stars Michael B. Jordan as a man burning with revenge on a mission of no mercy.

The underdog courtroom drama, "Percy Vs Goliath," also makes a splash, starring Christopher Walken in the title role of a prairie farmer tackling a mammoth multinational in order to save his family and livelihood.

Related

• Movie Reviews: 'Jakob's Wife' And 'Monday'
• Movie Reviews: 'Voyagers' And 'Sugar Daddy'
• Movie Reviews: 'Godzilla vs. Kong' and 'Every Breath You Take'

Here's what to see/stream and what to skip this weekend:

“Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” — Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell; directed by Stefano Sollima (Available on Amazon Prime)

The latest entry in the Clancy screen canon comes to life with Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of a man wreaking vengeance on a mission of no mercy.

Based loosely on the late author’s 1993 bestseller, director Stefano Sollima’s film adaptation is the origin story of action hero John Kelly (Jordan), a Navy SEAL senior chief petty officer who heads up a rescue mission in Aleppo, Syria, to extract a CIA operative taken hostage by what he's told are Syrian Army forces.

Moments later, the operation goes awry as Kelly’s team walks into a safe house filled with Russian soldiers. Apparently, the disaster could have been averted had CIA officer Robert Ritter (Jamie Bell) not withheld key information about the adversaries. Tension and animosity between Kelly and Ritter rise more than ever.

Back in the U.S. three months later, Kelly is on the verge of quitting the military. Meanwhile, two members of the Aleppo mission team turn up dead. And the next target on the assassins’ list is none other than — your guess is correct — Kelly, who soon finds his pregnant wife (Lauren London) murdered in bed.

And so begins Kelly’s vendetta mission to hold those accountable for the murder of his wife. Revenge best served cold? Kelly’s friend and ally, Navy SEAL Lt. Cmdr. Karen Greer (Jodie Turner-Smith), sums it up best: “He’s more dangerous and effective than any man we’ve ever had in the field.” (Karen Greer is also mentioned as being the niece of Jim Greer, the CIA handler of Jack Ryan, Clancy’s other big franchise hero.)

Stream it. Simply put, Michael B. Jordan is on fire to buoy a somewhat offbeat script.

Watch the trailer:

“Percy Vs Goliath” — Christopher Walken, Christina Ricci; directed by Clark Johnson

Based on a 2004 Supreme Court of Canada case on biotechnology patent rights, Clark Johnson’s underdog courtroom drama revolves around an ordinary man’s crusade to fight for his family and livelihood against a powerful corporation that grows food from genetically modified organisms or GMOs.

Christopher Walken stars as Percy Schmeiser, a Saskatchewan canola grower who becomes an object of Monsanto’s ire when the agrochemical giant discovers traces of its patented genetically modified seeds in the prairie farmer’s land. Ultimately, the multinational fines Percy $19,000, claiming that the older man has used the company’s proprietary technology without its permission.

In response, the introverted grouch contends that the seeds must have blown onto his farm from nearby fields — a situation that is beyond his control. Still, Monsanto asserts that Percy does not own the harvest; therefore, he must surrender his entire comingled stock of canola seeds to the company.

Neither Percy nor Monsanto wants to compromise, setting in motion a courtroom showdown that eventually plays out in Canada’s Supreme Court. Aiding our hero in his fight are his lawyer Jackson Weaver (Zach Braff) and the tough-minded non-GMO activist Rebecca Salcau (Christina Ricci).

In the end, it’s history as we know it: The Canadian federal high court hands down a controversial decision as to whether Percy indeed used Monsanto’s patented technology to grow his crop.

See it. The underdog courtroom movie certainly puts a smile on your face — though the script feels bland every now and then.

Watch the trailer: