The new installment of Jack Ryan, titled Ghost War, arrives directly on Prime Video without hitting theaters. John Krasinski reprises his role as the CIA analyst in a film that Amazon decided to release on streaming. The director assures that this was planned from the start, despite the production maintaining cinematic standards. Viewers can watch it from home without paying for a ticket, although the big-screen experience remains on the back burner.
Behind the technical decision of the direct-to-digital release 🎬
The production of Ghost War used high-end digital cinema equipment, such as ARRI Alexa LF cameras and anamorphic lenses, to achieve visual quality similar to a theatrical release. However, distribution was limited to streaming due to Amazon's strategy of prioritizing its platform over the competition. The Dolby Atmos sound mix and HDR color correction are optimized for home televisions, allowing for decent viewing at home, though without the immersion of a projector and cinema audio system.
The sofa dilemma: homemade popcorn vs. movie theater seat 🍿
In the end, Ghost War has become an audience hit on Prime Video, despite mixed reviews pointing to it as a decent installment but without major surprises. While purists clamor for the big screen, the rest of the world celebrates being able to pause the movie to go to the bathroom without missing the action scene. That said, if anyone complains it looks dark, they should check their TV's brightness, not the cinematography.