The Sum of All Fears

Wow I usually love your stuff, director Phil, but this was... painful to watch. You made a terrible film choice; does your long hiatus from directing have something to do with this turkey? Are you punishing yourself? The only reason I kept watching was to see the nuclear explosion. That too was a disappointment. Affleck, Freeman and Cromwell really all suck here too. I'm glad I didn't pay to see this one in the theater. So get back to directing something that has a decent screenplay. Keep away from CIA writers and CIA approved plot lines and the whole terrorism thing. It's getting really old and the propaganda isn't working anymore. You have enough chutzpah, Phil. Direct something that explains how terrorism is really just the new boogeyman, to replace the cold war boogeyman. Something that explains where AlQueda really came from, or how Presidents can do business with a boogeyman's family with terrorist ties, but no one says anything.

... Ben Aflack? Are you kidding? What an insult to Mr. Clancy's creativity and the legacy of Harrison Ford. At least pick an actor who possesses a modicum of acting ability... Almost anyone else... Well, except Tom Cruz, of course! Now I must write more. The movie is on my TV right now. And I would rather be writing this review. If I write any more, this will become as boring as the movie. But, we must fit the guidelines. Again... Ben Aflack? Who was the casting director? I think I have bored all of you almost as much as the movie will. So, now you have no need to suffer through watching Mr. Aflack say lines or wasting time enduring this disappointing movie.

In other words, should have been valued 'The Sum of All Parts'. Why? Because there were lots of good things in the mix: Clancy, Ryan, Afleck, Barry, and plenty more. But the sum of all parts was greater (much greater) than the whole. And as for the storyline - dreary first half, ridiculous second. What a shame.

Jack Ryan thriller chronicles the young analyst in his early days as a new, inexperienced CIA operative hoping to make a big impression with his superiors. An unexpected terrorist strike occurs on American soil and the perpetrator is thought to be the new President of Russia. Ryan is the only one who knows the truth, and races to try and resolve the crisis before a war can begin between the United States and Russia and potentially destroy both nations. Slow at first, with a story that would probably falter under close scrutiny, but it holds your interest and provides plenty of tension and excitement in its second half. Imperfect material that's elevated by a first-rate cast. **½

A nuke falls into the hands of a neo-fascist madman who wants to pit America against Russia. Then the unthinkable happens. Based on the Tom Clancy novel, "The Sum of All Fears" (2002) features Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst-turned-operative; Morgan Freeman plays his boss; and James Cromwell is on hand as the president. There are several other notables; even the hulking Sven-Ole Thorsen shows up. I've only seen one other Clancy movie featuring Jack Ryan and that was "Patriot Games" (1992). While it was a'right, this one's better; top-of-the-line actually. It's a realistic globe-trotting political thriller that shows how the world is a tinder box and it's not going to take much to set it on fire. It's augmented by some welcome wit & low-key humor. The film runs 2 hours, 4 minutes. The locations are too many to list. GRADE: A-/B+