Movie Review: The Sum of all Fears
Nobody thought this fourth Tom Clancy film, The Sum of all Fears would be made without Harrison Ford who played Jack Ryan in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Neither did Ben Affleck, who got the part. In the novel, Jack Ryan is already the head of the CIA. When the filmmakers got the idea to regress the Ryan character to age 29 and make him a beginning analyst at the spy shop, Affleck got the go-ahead to jump into Ford's shoes.
Young Jack Ryan is working as a research analyst at the CIA Russian desk when his boss, William Cabot (Morgan Freeman) sees his potential and drafts him to help straighten out a U.S./Russian problem. Young Ryan is instrumental in getting to the bottom of a neo-Nazi terrorist plot to blow up the super bowl and blame it on the Russians in order to rekindle the U.S./Russian conflict. On the way, Ryan almost loses his doctor girlfriend Cathy Muller (Bridget Moynahan) and gets James Bond-style lessons in the field from super operative John Clark (Liev Schreiber). Despite all his new kick butt knowledge, it's Jack's research and diplomatic abilities that save the day.
This was a huge book with action on many fronts so the fact that it was adapted at all is amazing. Critics are comparing this to the 1979 film Black Sunday in which the Super Bowl is threatened by terrorists, but their plan was totally different so I don't see a problem there. Also, in the world today, unfortunately, horrific terrorist acts are totally believable. In fact, a suicide terrorist walking into any crowd in America with a bomb, be it nuclear or plastic explosive-based, is a scenario most Americans feel is "next". This fact didn't make the film less "watchable" and probably made its impact greater.
I did have a problem with Ben and others getting really close to the flash point of a nuclear blast without protective gear and expecting to be safe from radiation just because the wind is supposed to be blowing in another direction. I'm also doubtful that young "analyst" Ben would be admitted to a high security Pentagon area and given access to a secure phone line to the Russian President just on his say-so that it'll be the end of the world if he doesn't.
The acting is all fine. I loved the Dad/Son style relationship between Morgan Freeman and Ben's characters. Some good funny moments there, especially one involving Jack telling girlfriend Kathy the truth about his "mission". All the "politicos" are believable. James Crowell makes a good President and Bridget Moynahan (whose character is played by Anne Archer in the Harrison Ford films) was a nice love match for Affleck. Liev Schreiber is great in an understated performance as a reluctant but deadly operative who is jerked out of retirement for this mission. Alan Bates, as the head of the neo-Nazis is an excellent actor but why he chose a voice pattern that makes him sound like a Germanic Elmer Fudd, I don't know. In order to accept Ben as Jack Ryan, you must not try to compare him to Harrison Ford. This is a much younger, "green", learn-on-the-fly Jack Ryan and, as such, Ben does a fine job. It was also very gratifying to see an action thriller in which the day is actually saved by brains, research and diplomacy and the ability to "see" into another man's heart rather than by mindless, bombastic action.
I was glad to see that, although the film presents a very horrific terrorist scenario, it is done with class and taste and opportunities for "gore" are not acted upon. The premise of this film is frightening by nature. The filmmakers have done a good job letting our imaginations fill in the blanks.
For a thinking man's actioner...3.5 out of 5 stars.
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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.
