A Book A Week

"You go down out there, you're a ghost. There's nobody, nobody coming back for you."

A couple months ago, I read American Assassin by the late author Vince Flynn. The origin story for his hero Mitch Rapp provided some solid back story to the CIA operative. Hollywood has been trying to bring the hero to the screen for years. By adapting this prequel novel and casting young Dylan O'Brien of Maze Runner fame as Rapp, filmmakers have set up this movie to serve as the first in a planned franchise based upon Flynn's novels.

The film opens with the gruesome scene of Mitch witnessing his fiance being murdered in cold blood during a terrorist attack on a beach. Driven by grief and an unyielding thirst for revenge, Rapp begins the process of infiltrating the terrorist group responsible for the attack. As a lone civilian in contact with some of the world's most wanted terrorists, he quickly catches the attention of the CIA. Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) takes a particular interest in Rapp. His personal drive, physical strength, and discreet investigative prowess could make him an ideal candidate for the agency's top secret Orion group.

Kennedy intervenes in Rapp's crazed mission to infiltrate the terrorist group and whisks him off to a remote cabin in the woods for training. Orion's operatives are trained and managed by Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton). Hurley instantly dislikes Rapp and argues that he lacks both the experience and mental fortitude to join the team. Soon the CIA learns that an American born terrorist "Ghost" is planning to construct a nuclear weapon, Rapp and Hurley are forced to put their differences aside for the good of the country.

I have a mixed reaction to this film. Much of the action and acting comes off as very "by the numbers". It is easy to see where the story is going, and the movie offers little in terms of political commentary or innovation. Still, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy myself. Michael Keaton shines as the ornery Hurley, reveling in every scene he's given. The arc of Rapp's character is much more developed and believable than it was in the novel, offering a true emotional payoff. O'Brien has the potential to grow into the role if another movie is made. A tease at the end of the film offers a tantalizing taste of things to come. While it never soars, American Assassin is still a solid action flick that marks a promising start to a potential franchise.

When I was in high school, I read a trade paperback copy of Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn. I bought the copy from a garage sale for a quarter, and for the amount of entertainment it provided the book was quite a steal. Years later, I still buy way too many copies of used books, but I haven't kept up with Flynn's series about CIA agent Mitch Rapp. When I stumbled upon a copy of American Assassin, the chronological beginning to the character, I jumped at the chance to read another installment in the series that entertained me years ago.

The novel opens at a time before Mitch Rapp is the infamous agent that Flynn originally wrote about. Rapp has just been summoned by Irene Kennedy, an up and coming protege of the director of the CIA, to join a select group of potential recruits to a top secret clandestine force. The group functions to do the dirty work of the agency without any official directive or recognition from the government. Out of a deep pool of applicants, these are supposed to be the best of the best.

Rapp seems to be an unusual choice, especially to the man tasked with training and selecting the final members of the force. Stan Hurley dislikes Rapp from the start. He was a talented athlete and may have the physical capacity to do the job, but Mitch Rapp is an emotional mess. Rapp lost his father at a young age and his girlfriend lost her life in a terrorist attack. This has left Rapp with one thing on his mind: revenge. With the threat of future terrorist activity growing stronger each day, Rapp must face Hurley's opposition, the mounting pressure from Irene Kennedy, and most difficulty his inner demons to become one of the best agents in the history of the CIA.

American Assassin contains much of what I remembered liking about the first novel. Mitch Rapp is the kind of macho, all-American hero that is really easy to root for. Flynn writes with a breakneck pace that keeps the pages turning and the thrills coming. The supporting cast is equally well-rounded with Stan Hurley stealing nearly every scene he's in. As a prequel to the expansive series that Rapp is featured in, this book gives an adequate introduction to the character. Still, I found the development of Rapp from grieving youth to hardened special agent to be very rushed and under developed. One moment he is facing the doubts about taking on this job, the next he is ruthlessly executing terrorists. There isn't much in between. This book has certainly reinvigorated my enthusiasm for Flynn's books, but it doesn't delve much past the surface level emotions of its main character.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 28)