John Kelly, played by actor Michael B. Jordan, stares straight ahead wearing SWAT gear, in front of a backdrop of smoke and helicopters. Image via Amazon MGM Studios By Collier Jennings Published Jul 19, 2026, 11:33 PM EDT Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap There's been a heated debate over whether Hollywood still has movie stars, but there are still some people who can draw audiences to theaters based on their presence alone. At the top of the pack is Michael B. Jordan , who's racked up an impressive number of roles over the years. There's his turn as Adonis Creed in the Creed franchise, portraying one of Marvel's most layered antagonists as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther , and the dual role of Stack and Smoke in Sinners . It's that last role that won Jordan an Oscar, but it's not the first time he displayed the intensity needed for an action role .
That honor goes to Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse . Based on the novel of the same name, Without Remorse stars Jordan as John Kelly, a former Navy SEAL who is attacked in the middle of the night by a group of Russian soldiers who murder his wife. Kelly sets out to avenge his wife, covering a tangled web of secrets in the process . Jordan isn't the only big name attached to Without Remorse , as its screenplay was co-written by none other than Taylor Sheridan . While Sheridan might have made some significant changes to Without Remorse 's story, he crafted a searing action-thriller that let Jordan show off his range.
Michael B. Jordan as John Kelly in Without Remorse Image via Prime Video Prior to Without Remorse , Michael B. Jordan was best known for his magnetic presence, whether it was his breakout role in Chronicle or bigger movies like Creed and Black Panther . Without Remorse shows that he could deliver some fiery intensity in his performances , which helps sell Kelly's desire to avenge his wife. This is especially prominent in a scene where Kelly corners a corrupt Russian diplomat, then lights said diplomat's car on fire and locks himself inside until he gets the names of the assassins who came after him. Though it might seem like a far cry from his previous work, Jordan admitted in an interview that he tries to put a little of himself in every role he plays.
"You take these roles that aren’t written specifically for [you] because they have a platform, and you inject yourself and your experience into the character. That’s the Trojan horse."
Kelly's intense dedication to his mission would match the same intensity that Jordan brought to Sinners a few years later. It's also a key indicator that you're watching a Taylor Sheridan project, as most of his characters tend to share that trait . In fact, one could argue that She…