One of Clancy's best Ryan efforts in print, this massive door-stop of a book was condensed by veteran scribes Steven Zallian and John Milius - how's that for a screen writing combo? - into a script that retains a lot of the original's moral complexity while making smart concessions to the blockbuster format. Clear and Present Danger is where your money belongs. Hunt for Red October might come up in conversations more often, but it's hard to get past the silliness of Sean Connery pretending to be Russian (and speaking worse Russian than Baldwin's American character). So far 3 actors and as many directors have had a go at him, with varying degrees of success. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan has had an odd time at the movies. The positives are far more than the negatives, making this a solid thriller. The best action scene was shootout in the streets with snipers firing at cars below. The violence is not overdone in here and when the action does occur, the sound is terrific. The villains in here are deceptively interesting, actors such as Joaquim De Almeida, Harris Yulin and Henry Czerny and Miguel Sandoval - not big names but recognizable and good actors. THE GOOD - It's nice to see Willem Dafoe finally play a good guy.
government officials, going all the way to the President, are corrupt people, liars not to be trusted. Once again - it's getting to be a tired Hollywood theme - top U.S. THE BAD - This isn't as intense, especially in the first half hour, as Patriot Games and the ending was a little disappointing with a action-scene credibility problem.
Also returning are Anne Archer and James Earl Jones. Harrison Ford returns as "Jack Ryan," star of the very well-done "Patriot Games," the film adaption off the best-selling Tom Clancy novels. We get a solid turn from Ford and a deliciously tough bad guy performance from Joaquim de Almeida, alongside well-shot action and a climax that doesn't hold back. The first half is a little slow but things really pick up for the second, which depicts a complex situation south of the border with no less than three sides competing for dominance and Ford caught in the middle. The movie is well shot and entertaining, never better than when detailing the cyber hijinks between Ford and corporate schmuck Henry Czerny or an excellent ambush set-piece halfway through. Along the way, he must contend with an ineffectual President (THE THING's Donald Moffat), an ailing buddy (the ever excellent James Earl Jones) and a mercenary leader (the scene stealing Willem Dafoe). The last of Harrison Ford's outings as Jack Ryan (following PATRIOT GAMES), CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER is a classy outing that throws the star into the middle of a drugs war between Colombian cocaine barons and some highly corrupt American officials.
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