For two decades, the actor has captivated audiences with the kind of charisma that can’t be learned or taught.
[This story contains spoilers for Without Remorse.]
Michael B. Jordan’s John Kelly stands shirtless in his prison cell, listening for the footsteps of approaching guards. He tears off a piece of bedding from the cot in his room and wraps it tightly around his hand, making a tight fist, bracing for the fight he knows is coming. He stuffs his orange prison shirt into the sink, turning the water on and letting it overflow onto the floor. He splashes water onto himself, making him harder to get a hold of when the guards inevitably come. When his door is kicked open moments later, John Kelly is ready. His muscled body tenses and the guards with their batons, shields, and riot gear are no match for the efficient John Kelly who uses the surroundings of his small space and the water on the floor to gain the edge.
No action is wasted; the man is scientific in his propensity for violence. Every movement is a brutal strike. Yet as good as he is, he’s not enjoying himself. It’s not just John Kelly’s physicality that’s apparent on-screen. It’s his soulful hurt and anger, the eyes of a man who sees the family he’s lost in one, and targets over those who killed them in the other. John Kelly cannot be contained. The same is true for the talents of Michael B. Jordan, who for two decades has captivated audiences with the kind of charisma that can’t be learned or taught, a diligent work effort that has only added to his star power, and an ability to breathe such life into characters that audiences often clamor for more.
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