Vince Flynn's 'Assassin' slays

"American Assassin," based on the spy novels of the late St. Paul writer Vince Flynn, takes a refreshing approach to the genre. The tug-of-war between superpowers has given way to terror groups. The screenplay by Stephen Schiff, Michael Finch, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz never forgets the action is unfolding in a real world. There's a gun battle where restaurant patrons get caught in the crossfire. Chases have to deal with traffic, and after a big fight, there are cuts and bruises.

Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service