'American Assassin' Is a Respectably Entertaining Espionage Action Thriller

After his girlfriend is killed during a jihadist attack while they’re on vacation, Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien) swears vengeance and begins to train profusely.  Eighteen months later, he’s able to infiltrate the cell of the Islamic terrorists responsible.  However, unbeknownst to him, he’s being monitored by the CIA, and before he can kill his target, U.S. Special Forces proceed to wipe out the terrorist cell.  In the aftermath, he’s recruited by the CIA and is put into a black ops program under Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton), a former Navy Seal and a Cold War veteran.  After completing his training, Rapp is brought along by Hurley to the field.   Their mission: stop a nuclear arms deal involving Hurley’s former protégé, who is codenamed “Ghost” (Taylor Kitsch), before it can be used in a terrorist attack that will kill countless people.

Whatever inference of the film that you derive from that synopsis (or from the trailer, if you see it), American Assassin is very much like that.  It has some twists, but they don’t really come as thoughtful, that-came-out-of-nowhere surprises (like the stuff that other 2017 spy films Atomic Blonde and Unlocked had).  It’s very straightforward with its narrative.

The performances are enjoyable.  Dylan O’Brien is not there yet, but he shows the potential of being a compelling action star.   Meanwhile, Michael Keaton being a badass is always fun.  As for Taylor Kitsch, well, it’s nice to see him get work these days.

There are no mindblowing action sequences and storytelling points, but they aren’t slouchy and inept either.  There’s competence in delivering the goods.  The film checks a lot of boxes in a checklist for being a respectable espionage action thriller.  But, at the same time, it also feels very run-of-the-mill.  It doesn’t have any notable aspect that makes it distinctive from other works of espionage fiction.  It has this VR training scene though that is intriguing, but it’s so fleeting to make a lasting impression.

As a film, it’s good enough to entertain.  Though unexceptional and flawed, it’s still satisfying.  At the very least, I think it works as an adequate cinematic origin story for Mitch Rapp (he’s originally the main character of a series of novels by Vince Flynn) – if this ever turns into a film series.