Director Michael Cuesta
Genre Action | Thriller
Cast Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Taylor Kitsch
Rating R
Release Date September 15th, 2017
“Long before he began hunting terrorists, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college scholar/athlete. Then, tragedy struck and Rapp was recruited into the nation’s most elite covert operations program. After completing training designed to teach the kind of lethal skills necessary to target our most dangerous enemies, here and abroad, he is a man reborn with a mission of retribution”
American Assassin is a spy thriller based on the best-selling Mitch Rapp novels written by the late author Vince Flynn, who passed away tragically in 2013 at the young age of 47 after a long and difficult battle with cancer. With a total of 16 books selling nearly 20 million copies to date, the Mitch Rapp character was very important to Flynn which was always evident in his writing. The American Assassin novel was written as an origin story for the Rapp character, and even though it was published in 2010 (the first ever Mitch Rapp book was published in 1999), it is considered the first book in chronological order. The Last Man, published in 2012, is the last book in the series written by Flynn and is officially considered book #13. His books were considered to be so incredibly accurate in terms of the CIA and other military operations that they were consistently placed under security review by the Pentagon prior to release. After Flynn’s death author Kyle Mills was signed on to continue the Mitch Rapp series, and the 3rd book written by Mills was released recently. American Assassin stars Dylan O’Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Taylor Kitsch, and Shiva Nigar.
American Assassin brings Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp character to life on the big screen, and more than anything else, I honestly believe the talented late author would've been proud. Flynn was one hell of a writer, and after reading the first few pages of his American Assassin novel it was evident that he took great pride in this character. Rapp is a tortured soul who suffered a great tragedy, leading him to the business of tracking and eliminating terrorists, which ultimately is very unfortunate for them. I had my fingers crossed that this film would do the character and the books justice, and I must say I was impressed. Right out of the gate what stood out to me most is how brutal and intense American Assassin is. The action scenes are absolutely relentless whether it is a flurry of bullets or bone-crushing hand to hand combat. The opening scene sets the tone making it very clear this is a far cry from anything with the word "teen" in the title, and odds are you will remain on the edge of your seat throughout.
Now it's impossible to compare the books to the movie, as with any book that gets the big-screen treatment, a great deal ends up getting left out. Usually the biggest challenge is the fact that the movie has no choice but to fast forward through aspects of the story that go into much more depth within the books. American Assassin does stray from the book in many ways allowing the four screenwriters some creative freedom, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. I feel like Flynn decided to go back and write this origin story for a few reasons, to tell the story of how Rapp got into this line of work, and to delve deeper into his colorful relationship with his mentor Stan Hurley, as well as his connection with handler Irene Kennedy, and I think the film manages to do just that. The book focused more on Rapp's psyche, which I would have loved to see more of in the film but again you can only cram so much into a film without it becoming overkill. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the characters I have enjoyed reading about brought to life right before my eyes. The film as a whole could have used a bit more polish in terms of the pacing, but that can all be worked on later down the road if in fact a new franchise is born. I have heard mixed reactions to the ending of the film and to be honest I thought it was perfect- leaving the viewers with plenty of anticipation for what I hope is the beginning of a new action hero.
A great deal of controversy surrounded the casting decisions for American Assassin, mainly the decision to cast Dylan O'Brien in the feature role of counter-terrorism agent Mitch Rapp. To say the former Teen Wolf star wasn't taken seriously for a role like this would be an understatement. But, what I personally find interesting is the fact that it seems that not only are people who seem to have an issue with O'Brien playing Rapp focused solely on his past and not his capabilities as an actor, but I honestly feel like the majority of them never picked up a Vince Flynn Mitch Rapp novel. The fact of the matter is this, O'Brien fits the description of Mitch Rapp perfectly, a dark complexioned former college athlete with dark hair and dark eyes, and an undeniable sense of confidence. He is the man you picture when you read the book, people just need to get past all of the other nonsense and give the guy a chance. Now that I've said my piece, I was very pleased with O'Brien's performance. I think he owned the role and did a great job conveying the complex emotions and struggle with authority that Mitch Rapp is famous for. I think he was great performing the stunts and the fight scenes, he showed tremendous ability with his firearm skills, and most importantly his character felt like the complete opposite of corny. O'Brien made you believe in the relentless drive and sheer desire Rapp felt to eliminate each and every terrorist from the face of the earth. The supporting cast was amazing as well, from Sanaa Lathan to Taylor Kitsch, but Michael Keaton's role really stood out. Stan Hurley's character is a huge piece of the Mitch Rapp puzzle, and I think Keaton was the perfect man for the job. Much like the complex role Keaton played in Birdman, he plays a character with a short fuse and a plethora of experience. I can't think of any actor more suited for this role.
American Assassin is a heck of a lot better than the majority of critics are making it out to be, and as a fan of the books I'm a little irritated by the unwarranted criticism. When Vince Flynn passed away he left behind a loving family, countless friends, and a fan base devoted to his unique and exciting style of writing. Prior to picking up a Flynn book my favorite crime thriller author was Dennis Lehane, with Michael Connelly in a close second, and I can honestly say that Vince Flynn easily transitioned into my short list of writers I simply cannot get enough of, and I plan to read each and every novel he wrote. Vince Flynn will live on in his books, and my guess is that he is somewhere right now writing his next great novel sure to be a best-seller. Dylan O'Brien steps into the role of Mitch Rapp with conviction and authority, doing everything within his power to prove he's more than capable of becoming the next Jason Bourne. Unlike Bourne, Rapp remembers everything about his past, and that does not bode well for the bad guys. Mitch Rapp is extremely intelligent, resilient, calculated, and determined, and I felt that O'Brien displayed all of his traits perfectly. I really hope this film does well in the box office so that a Mitch Rapp franchise is born, allowing viewers at least a few more opportunities to relish in the genius mind of Vince Flynn. Whether you are a fan of the Mitch Rapp novels or simply enjoy a good action thriller that will get the adrenaline going, American Assassin is well worth checking out in theaters. A consistent theme throughout the film and the book is Hurley's insistence that Rapp not allow the job to become personal, so I will end this review on a powerful quote from the book.
"Revenge is more mild, less calculated…deeply personal. Retribution is a punishment that is morally right and fully deserved". – Mitch Rapp
