Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Posted by nedev18 on March 20, 2008
Released (US): August 3, 1994
Genre: Action/Adventure; Mystery
Length: 141 Min.
Director: Phillip Noyce
Writer:Donald Stewart, Steven Zaillian, & John Milius
Major Cast Members:
Harrison Ford – Jack Ryan
Willem Dafoe – John Clark
Joaquim de Almeida – Col. Felix Cortez
Henry Czerny – Robert Ritter
Harris Yulin – James Cutter
Awards:
ASCAP Award – Top Box Office Film
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards:
Favorite Actor – Action, On Video (Harrison Ford)
Favorite Actor – Action, Theatrical (Harrison Ford)
Budget: $65,000,000
Box Office: $215,887,717
Plot Overview: Based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name, Clear and Present Danger sees the return of Jack Ryan for another round. When he is appointed to CIA Deputy Director, he doesn’t have any time to get acclimated. Several of the President’s close friends are murdered on their yacht by what appears to be a Colombian drug cartel. Ryan is sent down to Colombia to investigate immediately, but he is unaware that people within his own government are already waging an illegal war in the country with a small, secret task force. When communication between the task force and their commander goes down, the ugly truth starts to come out and Ryan must risk his job, and his life, to rescue the abandoned soldiers and expose the ugly truth.
Did you know?: The scene when Jack Ryan and his caravan are attacked in the back alleyway is actually used in US military training videos. JAG, the TV show, also used the scene in one of their episodes.
Review: Going into the viewing of Clear and Present Danger, expectations ran very high. It was my first film based on a Tom Clancy novel, so I wasn’t sure exactly to expect. But the concept is right up my ally, an action/adventure mystery with military complications. While it didn’t live up to my high expectations, it was still a good movie that provided a couple of hours of entertainment.
Part of the reason expectations were high was because of the presence of Harrison Ford, one of my favorite actors. He didn’t disappoint, with a great performance. As Jack Ryan, Ford gave a compelling performance that was believable. It was nice because Ford seemed human, as he appeared nervous and jittery early on when he is first promoted to CIA Deputy Director. Sometimes, actors can come off as invincible, which can alienate the viewer. However, when speaking with the President early on, Ford appears humble, but, as the film progresses, he becomes more confident, and, at the end, is strong and defiant of the President when he knows that the President is wrong. He is nervous at the beginning (like any normal person would be), but is strong when he has to be.
The rest of the cast was strong as well. Willem Dafoe was solid in his role as John Clark, and Joaquim de Almeida is a great bad guy. They fit their roles well. However, the best guy on the cast (other than Ford, but he comes pretty close) is Henry Czerny (he played Robert Ritter). Reflecting on the film, there was one scene where Ritter gave a piercing stare to James Cutter (played by Harris Yulin) that was awesome. Czerny was excellent in his role, and, with almost anybody else, Ritter would have been weaker and less riveting than he was.
A very good cast is hampered slightly by the plotline. There was a climactic ending and an ubelievable scene in the middle that has since become an American film classic (when Ryan’s caravan is trapped and assaulted in the back alleyway in Colombia), but, other than that, the film runs a little sluggish. It’s not bad per say, but the rest of the film doesn’t quite keep up with the aforementioned parts. Even during the military scenes, the suspense isn’t there. This film is bouyed by the tremendous ending and middle scene (talking about the alleyway again), and it drags the rest of the film along with it.
This is a must see for the average movie viewer, if nothing to see the infamous scene that is now featured in military training videos (the alleyway). While Clear and Present Danger did not quite reach my lofty expectations, it was still a good flick that should be seen at least once by everyone.
Final Grade: B
Other Reviews:
DVDTown: “…(the movie) features the kinds of clichés, routine explosions, and not-so-intriguing conspiracies that make discerning viewers yawn.”
Reel Views: “With all the hype attendant to it, however, this particular Jack Ryan adventure is somewhat disappointing. Beneath its posturing as a “techno-thriller”, Clear and Present Danger is really little more than a high-class blast-and-bang festival.”
DVD Verdict: “A solid, widely appealing and intelligent thriller…It may not break new ground or expand your horizons, but it does sustain your interest as it entertains you. Many films can’t say that!”
Filmcritic.com: “Danger is just an overblown attempt to latch onto already-waning “Just Say No” sentiment in the U.S. (It was released in 1994). No dice.”
EFilm Critic: “In the end, it’s far from a bad film, and it has its share of highlights, but it still leaves a lot to be desired. Based on the material it was based on, it would’ve been much better.”
TVGuide: “The third screen treatment of Tom Clancy’s best-selling Jack Ryan series is a sharp improvement over The Hust for Red October and Patriot Games. It’s a formula film with a typically dubious political message, but the storytelling is livelier and more engaging than previous adaptations of Clancy’s turgid techno-thrillers.”
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