The Recruit

  • 2003


MOVIE IS engaging cinematic competent dramatic entertaining
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56 %
43 % Rotten
$ 101 Million
See Where to Watch The Recruit
Positive Reviews 53
Negative reviews 24
Average Rating 2.9/5
engaging cinematic competent dramatic entertaining

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
2.0
The new era macho dude, typified by Russell Crowe, is equal parts brawn and brains, and Farrell, with his purposeful eyebrows and his thatch of hair s .. EW
3.1
Its the kind of movie you can sit back and enjoy, as long as you dont make the mistake of thinking too much. Rogerebert
2.0
Apparently making a spy thriller that amounts to something more than James Bond cliches taken seriously is indeed mission: impossible.
2.5
The Recruit is ultimately passable entertainment, but dont forget the popcorn.
2.5
A movie sort of paints itself into a corner when characters repeatedly look directly at the camera and yell None of this is real! Its all just a test! E Film Critic
1.9
Why ask an audience not to believe what theyre seeing when theyve already seen it. Give me 24s CTU any hour of the week. E Film Critic
4.5
A standard issue spy game with all the layered complexity of Ludo. Telegraph
3.8
Farrell and Moynahans combustible chemistry produces some very hot moments.These gorgeous kids might be suspicious of each other, but they still go at .. San Francisco Chronicle
3.0
If a full blown action movie is what youre looking for: this aint it. JoBlo
3.5
But this talented young man seems to be permanently fixated on the past. Spirituality And Practice
3.0
A gaudy, contrived bit of cinematic legerdemain thick with style and atmosphere but distinctly short on logic and sense. One Guys Opinion
2.5
The story winds down to its totally unbelievable conclusion as the cloak and dagger paranoia stuff mixes in with the contrived love affair between Lay .. Sover
3.1
Despite the fantasy setting and aesthetic, its a human tale about relatable characters with real emotions. ReelViews
3.8
Was the movie entertaining enough to compensate for the fact that I will probably not remember it in a years time Mark Reviews Movies
2.0
The utter mediocrity of the The Recruit makes me wonder if good old Al needs the money.
2.5
The Films of Roger Donaldson Sleeping Dogs Nutcase Smash Palace The Bounty Marie No Way Out (March 13/08) Though Robert Garlands screenplay periodical .. Reel Film Reviews
3.0
THE RECRUIT 12A, 115 mins EVELYN PG, 94 mins AS COULD BE EXPECTED from the director Roger Donaldson (Thirteen Days), The Recruit is a competent CIA th .. The Times
3.0
Still, if one is willing to suspend ones disbelief, it is a pretty good yarn, and it should keep you guessing until the very end. Lariat
3.0
It meets basic expectations it is not dull and it is not difficult to watch but it does nothing to exceed them. Eric Ds Nider
3.0
Tweet The Recruit Mark Halverson By This article was published on 01.30.03 Advertisement Trust no one, for nothing is as it seems is the paranoid mant .. News Review
2.5
Yet, its not consistent enough to make this the smart and engaging dramatic thriller that its posing as. Screen It
1.5
If CIA agents are really so hung up on father issues and rocky romances as they always seem to be in the movies, the so called free world is in dire s .. Pop Matters
1.0
The constant double crossing is entertaining at first but swiftly becomes predictable and annoying. View London
2.5
The first half packs some clever surprises, but eventually youll wish youd signed up with another movie. Cs Monitor
3.0
With a tone and moral similar to last years Spy Games, the film spends too much time rehashing very familiar material. Film Journal International ..
2.5
Still, director Roger Donaldson does sustain some tension and keeps things moving briskly. Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
3.1
Since nothing is what it seems, all you need to do is negate everything you are told, and youll figure out every twist. Internet Reviews
3.8
This suspense challenged spy opera nonetheless can serve todays CIA recruitment program with its look see into the training program at The Farm. Internet Reviews
3.0
Its impossible to fault the performances.Its impossible to fault the dialogue. Mountain X
4.5
But Pacino phoning it in is more entertaining that many other actors most heartfelt performances, and I guess even gods deserve an easy day once in a ..
1.0
The Recruit manages to be almost utterly without innovation apart from its heroic determination to make matinee idol material out of a spy agency that .. Toronto Star
3.1
a little bit of Nixon era government conspiracy trickery polished up for the new millennium Q Network
1.5
But then it instantly turns shifts from a potentially stylish ensemble film with a great array of characters to a dull and low key dramatic thriller w .. Cinema Crazed
2.0
He delivers yeasty, Mamety spiels about nothing being what it seems. Slate
4.5
It requires a smart script and a smart director, with high powered performances.
3.0
Inveterate thriller watchers will pick the conclusion too easily, and theres limited pleasure in watching the daft, perfunctory plot work itself out. Bbc
5.0
When Jeffrey flushes a toilet, imperiling himself, the thing gurgles so magnificently as to suggest a moaning whale.) Slant Magazine
3.8
The film still makes a diverting entertainment in spite of its obviousness. Mr Brown Movies
3.1
It is all very cornball, although not such a tragic fatality that it cheapens the rest of what is an admittedly entertaining ride. The Movie Boy
2.0
The Recruit is little more than a fairy tale, one in which the prince gets to shoot the ball to smithereens. Calendar Live
2.5
Is it what it seems.Heavens no. Youll be seeing a lot of Farrell in the coming months. Hollywood
2.0
But its psychological motivations are fuzzy, theres not a lot of chemistry between the stars, and the script continually telegraphs its surprises by h .. Seattle Pi
4.0
Well written, ably directed, and professionally acted, the pleasure of this movie is in not knowing exactly whats going on, so Im not going to say any .. Tony Medley
2.5
Watchable only for its star power and scarce caffeine kicks, this empty three character study lazily mines father son issues (and boyfriend girlfriend .. Groucho Reviews
2.5
But it eventually trips over its own plot twists and cant quite shake its predictability. Cnn
2.5
But such plausibility does not extend to the overly flashy filmmaking, the storys lack of depth and the largely predictable plot. Spliced Wire
1.3
Look, the real wonder of WW84 is that this maybe isnt the worst thing about it. Film Freak Central
3.5
Farrell nearly perfectly portrays this role, capturing the intelligence, physicality, sex appeal and wit of the character. Boxoffice Magazine
2.0
The movies so busy creating twists and turns that it never finds a rhythm. E Online
1.5
Colin Farrells wild eyed intensity manages to cover, for a good long time, the fact that the films plot is going nowhere. La Weekly
3.0
If you enjoyed Spy Game youll get the same feeling here, but if youre a fan of Three Days of the Condor you might feel shortchanged. Raidió Teilifís Éireann
3.1
The University of Missouri has closed its investigation of Terrence Phillips and did not find enough evidence to support allegations of rape, stalking .. Kansas City
3.1
Strong acting, a fine patient pace at the outset, a clever ending, but nonetheless lacking something meaty. Ross Anthony
1.0
, who seems to be trying to salvage his dignity, . . .gets points for keeping a straight face as Pacino constantly beetles in on him to deliver his li .. Killer Movie Reviews
3.1
Too often, Farrell cedes the dramatic high ground to Pacino, who grabs it with both hands and yanks the movie off its axis. Sltrib
3.1
Hence, despite solid performances and efficient direction, The Recruit is too light on thrills or smarts for me to recommend it. Montreal Film Journal
2.0
The Recruit has less plausibility than a James Bond yarn, which is saying a mouthful, but its love story has even less plausibility than the far fetch .. Dennis Schwartz Reviews
2.0
You will be able to save yourself from getting disappointed of watching nothing but a lame movie. Window To The Movies
3.0
This film hinged itself too heavily on the rapid fire deception in place of what could have been a more engaging story, but ultimately the film does c .. Dvd Talk
2.0
Slick enough to be entertaining to the end, though its never hard to guess whats really going on, and despite all the twists there are few surprises. Decent Films
2.0
...cinematic comfort food, filling us up until more nourishing fare comes along. Its a pity the filmmakers couldnt do more with it. Flip Side Archive
3.0
While the film has many twists and turns with characters and ideas being warped and redrawn, everything falls in place too easily.At each turn, you se .. Fat Guys At The Movies
3.8
Tram still dreams of Sweet Lou in Hall of Fame Tram still dreams of Sweet Lou in Hall of Fame Detroit Tigers great Alan Trammell is still hopeful that .. Freep
2.5
...so dependent on plot contrivances and so altogether preposterous, it seems an unfortunate waste of Pacinos and Farrells acting talents. Movie Metropolis
3.8
The foreshadowing is a bit heavy handed, but the writers and director largely manage the tension and mystery tactfully. Denver Post
2.0
All sound and fury, signifying, it turns out, not a hell of a lot. Film Blather
1.5
You want originality, youre in the wrong movie The Recruit only has leftovers. James Sanford on Film
3.8
Although its always kind of a bummer when a film lets me down with a lame ending, I have to admit that everything preceding the ending was fun. Aisle Seat
2.5
Well either fix the issue to your satisfaction or issue you a full, immediate refund.Just let us know we want you to be happy! Movie Eye
3.5
The movie works best when the action is at The Farm and the recruits are learning what it takes to play spy. TheMovieChicks.com
2.5
The tension and pace tries too hard and never fully achieves anything. Dark Horizons
1.5
. . .the film ends as a nonentity, arriving at a conclusion that is not satisfying and completely nonsensical because it preys on our stupidity rather .. IGN Movies
3.0
Roger Donaldsons The Recruit represents the cool, jaded spy flick our dissatisfied generation needs today. And thats a good thing. Films Nobs
3.0
A tense and twisty espionage thriller that tests your wits for the bulk of its run time. Eclipse Magazine
1.9
The pictures idea of action involves characters silently sneaking through corridors and following targets hoping not to be seen, with the occasional j .. Cinema Phile
2.5
Theres a nifty little spy thriller secreted somewhere in this bloated picture. Premiere Magazine
3.1
I didnt groan once, and I left with a smile on my face. Thats all I can ask. Fantastic A Daily
3.1
Beyond the opening frames, the whole movie has an altogether musty odour, as if those up to the minute lines had simply been tacked on to a mothballed .. Globe and Mail
3.8
What you think you know and what is actually true is what makes this one watchable. Supercala.com
2.5
Somewhere in Al Pacinos contract there must be a clause that says he must have a 10 minute speech somewhere toward the end of the movie that allows hi .. Zap2it.com
3.1
The Recruit may not bring anything new to the spy genre, but it passes the test as entertainment. Miami Herald
3.0
Pacino gives the film its juice by arching his eyebrows and delivering his lines as if they were birthday presents, making the most of every wisecrack .. eye WEEKLY
3.5
I was sorry when I learned that Michaels, the well known childrens hair cutting salon at Madison Avenue and 90th Street, went out of business recently .. Ny Observer
2.5
Watching James tap on a computer isnt so exciting. And neither is The Recruit. Arizona Daily Star
4.0
With the threat of a real life war imminent, its interesting that a film like THE RECRUIT would come out now.Good timing if there ever was one. BlackFilm.com
2.0
Namby pamby criticisms of omission aside, The Recruit is a solid and enticing little thriller, a fun and engaging movie. Entertainment Today
4.4
It is an extended two hour head game, and it works so well because it keeps the audience in the same position as James Clayton (Colin Farrell), always ..
3.8
Many would believe Pacino could do no wrong but he has. The Recruit serves only to ignite a pilot light in the imagination of espionage lovers everywh .. Cinema Sight
3.0
The Recruit is tense and smart perhaps too smart for its own good. Journal News (Westchester, ..
2.5
Chris Owens: Youre onscreen for about half a minute of The Recruit, but that half a minute was the most enjoyable experience I had all evening. Toxic Universe
3.0
The story is almost to the point that if you saw the trailer you saw the film.
3.8
Director Roger Donaldson ... again shows a knack for creating intrigue and paranoia. Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) ..
3.0
It could have been a much better movie. But, unfortunately, Al Pacino can only play one character at a time.
3.1
A serviceable spy thriller that stumbles over one too many plot twists, one too many shots of its hero typing desperately at his computer, and a roman .. Boston Globe
3.0
The Recruit is slick entertainment thats surprisingly restrained. Bangor News
2.5
The model, 25, took to Instagram Stories on Wednesday to post photos of her loved ones looking shocked and delighted after she told them via FaceTime .. Femail



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