Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9614 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-11-03
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, Persian, Russian
• Subtitled in: English, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
"Nothing is as it seems" in The Recruit, a guessing-game thriller that employs plot twists and conflicting loyalties as its primary raison d'etre. Surrounded by potential deception, a newly recruited CIA officer (Colin Farrell) must determine if his manipulative instructor (Al Pacino) is being honest when he identifies Farrell's fellow recruit and love interest (Bridget Moynihan) as an enemy "mole" assigned to steal a dangerous computer virus from CIA headquarters. While claiming to offer an insider's look at CIA training methods, this engrossing yet ultimately predictable plot is pure Hollywood fantasy; any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental, leaving the perpetually unshaven and scruffily coiffed Farrell to fend for himself in Pacino's cynical arena while tracing his familial roots in the spy game. Wearing its cleverness on its sleeve, The Recruit is an adequately elaborate puzzle of perceptions. "Everything is a test", as Farrell soon realises, and attentive viewers will enjoy piecing it all together.--Jeff Shannon

DVD Description
James Clayton - computer genius by day, barman by night - is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the U.S. He's just the person that Walter Burke wants working for the CIA. Clayton regards the CIA's mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, Clayton has to survive 'The Farm', where the veteran Burke teaches him the ropes and rules of the game. Clayton quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla, one of his fellow recruits. But just when Clayton starts to question his role, Burke taps him for a special assignment to root out a mole. Will Clayton find an ally to trust before it’s too late?

Special Features

• Spy School
  
• Inside the CIA training program
  
• Deleted scenes with commentary by the Director and Colin Farrell
  
• Feature commentary with the Director and Colin Farrell

DVD Technical Information:

• Languages: Dolby Digital 5.1 English/Italian/Spanish/Hungarian
  
• Subtitles: English, English for the Hearing Impaired, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian
  
• Colour
  
• PAL
  
• Running Time: 110 mins approx.
  
• Widescreen Format: 1.78:1
  
• Disc Format: Dual layer
  
• Region Code: 2

Customer Reviews

Sometimes things are better than they seem
This is a movie that I initially passed over, always finding something else to buy or borrow (as I don't steal), until I happened to catch the ending on television late one night.

By the next evening it was in my possession, and despite having already watched the ending, I found it to be a surprisingly enjoyable experience.

Al Pacino aced his role as Walter Burke, CIA trainer extraordinaire, and he's not a guy I would ever want to play poker with, even if I did play poker.

Colin Farrell's performance is pretty much like his other movies(except maybe "Alexander", but I haven't seen that yet, and I hate his blonde look), but he really does a great short, dark and handsome, tortured and persecuted thing. This time he's out of the phone booth and using his cell phone, whizzing through movie-style computer gibberish as James Clayton, the star recruit of the latest batch of CIA trainees.

Bridget Moynahan gives much the same performance as she does in "I, Robot", playing it smart and sassy with a real cute pout, and a concerned wrinkle.

Surprises and twists abound, and though you know it's all faked, and nothing is what it seems, it still draws you in. In retrospect, the ending really is the silliest part of the movie, the moral of the story being to sit down and relax whenever you see red dots before your eyes.

Amanda Richards

The Recruit
Stars Colin Farrel and Al Pacino.

Colin Farrell plays James Clayton, a computer wizz whos talked into joining the CIAs training program, by top agent Walter Burke, played by Al Pacino. Clayton becomes the top of the class at "The Farm" and Burke takes him under his wing. From here the plot thickens and it keeps the audience guessing to whether Clayton is the good guy or not. Fantastic!!!!

Brillant !!
I don't normally go for action films but I loved this film! Al Pacino and Colin Farrell are brillant in it and the storyline is excellent. James Clayton (Farrell) is a computer wizz who is recruited by Walter Burke (Pacino) into the CIA and James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla (Bridget Moynahan) one of his fellow recruits. He is chosen to be a NOC and root out a mole. The suspense builds in a maze of gripping twists and turns, there are only 2 things James can count on - he can't trust anyone and nothing is as it seems. A truly excellent film - which is why I bought it! Top Class!