Rating: 
Summary: A smart action thriller
Review: This movie is based on a Tom Clancy novel and it is simply awesome. The plot and subplots are well thought through and the execution as a motion picture is extremely well done. The story is about drug lords in Colombia who are connected to the folks behind secret doors in Washington. By direct order of the President, CIA agent Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) has to solve the murders of a wealthy businessman and his family. The hunt takes Ryan back and forth between Washington and South America. More killings happen and the action becomes intense. Finally, there's a dangerous field operative (Willem Dafoe) who conducts covert operations for the U.S. government. The movie contains excellent cinematography, drama and action. We've watched it many times and it's always a delight as it is one of these rare breathtaking quality thrillers one will want to watch over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Ryan, The Drug Cartels, And CIA Abuse
Review: The third installment in the cinematic series based on Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER is a long but engrossing political action thriller that once again puts Harrison Ford, the thinking man's action film actor, in the role of Ryan.This time around, Ford investigates the murder of a close friend of the President (Donald Moffatt) by Colombian drug cartel hitmen. When his mentor (James Earl Jones) falls ill due to pancreatic cancer, Ford is suddenly put in charge as deputy director of the CIA. He continues his investigation of the murders and ties them in with one particular drug cartel leader (Miguel Sandoval) with whom the murdered man had a little issue with ill-gotten money,.... But what Ford doesn't know is that, on orders from the revenge-minded Moffatt, his second deputy (Henry Czerny) and the president's national security advisor (Harris Yulin) have ordered a rogue officer named Clark (Willem Dafoe) in with a covert military team to put a huge dent in the cartel's activities. Dafoe and his team are successful at what they do, but the cartels retaliate with deadly results on Ford's friends in the FBI during a visit to Bogota. And when Ford finds out about the operation, he finds himself going down to Colombia a second time to help spirit Dafoe and the covert team out of harm's way. Ably directed, once more, by Phillip Noyce (DEAD CALM; PATRIOT GAMES), CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER gives Ford another chance to prove his mettle in the action genre. The suspense and CIA intrigue are all laid out exceptionally well by Noyce and his first-rate cadre of screenwriters, Donald Stewart, Steven Zaillian, and John Milius. Jones is at his usual best as the now-dying Admiral Greer, and Anne Archer returns as Ford's wife. But a performance really worth noting here is Czerny's as the unconsciously corrupt CIA deputy director Robert Ritter. About as uncouth and conniving a heavy as there has ever been in the movies, his performance is absolutely chilling and believable. It makes the whole notion of our government going beyong reasonable bounds even more credible than it already is. Some will object to the film not pandering to Clancy's right-wing political points of view or his gung-ho pro-military stance, but that isn't necessarily what this movie is about. It does not condemn covert military action, but it does question the wisdom of sending men into a war zone where the risks are extreme, the reasons for such actions are vague at best, and there is no clear exit strategy. Such points are made extremely well in this film's action format; and for those reasons, it gets the highest marks.
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Summary: The Best Jack Ryan on the Screen, and with Good Reason!
Review: Harrison Ford isn't the person who wrote this story, Tom Clancy is. But, Harrison Ford is the perfect Jack Ryan, a spy with a conscience and a man who does the right thing not the expeditious thing. While this is not close to his biggest role or hit, he plays the character, Jack Ryan, as perfectly as he can be portrayed in a movie. He gives the right feeling to his character, the right indignation to wrongs done in the name of Patriotism and Justice, and portrays the right kind of patriotism to the fullest. But, the rest of the cast is also well played, including the good guys, Clark, Chavez, and James Earl Jones' character, and the bad guys, the President and his sleazy administration, as well as the drug dealers. Tom Clancy wrote a great book with this one and the book is well served by the overall excellence of the movie. I strongly recommend the movie to fans of Harrison Ford, Tom Clancy, and William Dafoe.
Rating: 
Summary: Wars Abroad, Wars At Home
Review: Clear And Present Danger is the third Tom Clancy novel, featuring hero Jack Ryan, to be made into a movie. The story deals with the war on drugs and corruption in the government. The end result is a better film than Patriot Games, taking its cues more from the original novel, than that film did. Former CIA analyst Jack Ryan, (Harrison Ford) is asked by his mentor and friend, Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones) to take over for him, while he battles cancer. Ryan reluctantly accepts. When a friend of the President's (Donald Moffatt) is killed, Ryan learns that a drug kingpin (Miguel Sandoval) may be responsible, for the crime. As he briefs the President, forces inside the administration, are working to take the cartel out, even without any proof. Ryan must discover the truth, about who is working against him before it's too late The cast also includes the great Henry Czerny as Ritter, a smarmy guy at the CIA who butts heads with Ryan, Harris Yullin as the National Security Advisor, and Anne Archer returns as Cathy, Jack's wife. Directed by Philip Noyce, who also directed Patriot Games, the film stays within the framework of the book. The movie also is detailed enough to keep fans of the book happy, while at the same time it is nicely paced Ford proves once again why he's so right for roles like this. He wears his hero hat so well. It is Czerny though, that makes things really interesting for Ryan and, he gives the film an extra spark or two. As part of the reissued "Jack Ryan" series on DVD, Clear And Present Danger, contains a retrospective featurette on how the film was made. It's pretty good and does a decent job taking you back, to what it was like on the set. The standard theatrical trailer tops off the extras. I wish there was a commentary track to go along with the other stuff--or maybe some deleted footage-that would have helped. Still the DVD is recommended over the "movie only" edition from a few years ago
Rating: 
Summary: Not even close
Review: Once there was a man named Jack Ryan. That's about where the similarities to the book end. For what it's worth, I'm not a picky movie viewer. I'll watch nearly anything. So for me to complain about this movie means that something was really off-base. As far as an action movie goes, it was passable. As far as the technological thriller that the book was, it doesn't even come close. There is no character development (never felt anything towards Ding), random changes in a character's persona (Clark goes from wanting to kill Ryan to making the chopper go back), thing missing that are important to the plot (downing of drug running planes), and things that were never in the book (yacht owner tied to the President). To make what could be an extremely long review somewhat shorter, if you've read the book and are a fan of Tom Clancy, don't bother. If you're just looking for a film with " 'splosions," this might work.
Rating:
Summary: Another Jack Ryan movie to have
Review: This is another one of Harrison Ford's greatest. I have always enjoyed his movies. He is a real actor and there is not many left out there. This movie has a plot to it and was well made. Great movie.
Rating:
Summary: The Jack Ryan Franchise
Review: This is my personal favorite of all of the Jack Ryan films which include Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games and Sum of All Fears. The only real problem with this film is that it ends with you wanting to know more...How does the senate committee hearing turn out for example? How exactly does Ryan fully get himself off the hook? The acting is excellent by everyone involved and the action is truly suspenseful. I just hope that maybe Ford will do another one someday although I imagine that is probably unlikely the older he gets...But hey if he's still up for an Indiana Jones 4 then maybe this isn't a total impossibility. Phillip Noyce should do the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Even the 'minor' actors and their characters were GREAT
Review: So glad I'm in the good company of two top 10 Amazon reviewers in loving this movie. Thanks you all, for summarizing the storyline. Erik North's (a top 1000 reviewer) review is pretty comprehensive in naming the actors, directors, etc. but he left out Benjamin Bratt (of Law & Order and Julia Roberts' Boy Toy fame) as the captain of the insertion team, and Raymondo Cruz as Ding. The novel by the same name had Ding as the central character, and I was sorry that Ding had only a supporting role in the movie. However, the movie is GREAT entertainment in its own right. Raymondo Cruz's Ding was sophisticated and touching. I especially liked his restrained satisfied expression after being selected for a mission that would let him name his own ticket afterwards. Miguel Sandoval's performance as the ruthless drug lord, but loving family man, was nothing short of WONDERFUL. I especially liked his seamless transition from Spanish to English. Did you know that the production actually blew up that villa in which the drug lords were having a summit? Yes, they below up that nice house for for a few seconds worth of entertainment. And why no mention of Joachim de Alameda, whose performance as the villain should have boosted his career, but didn't seem to have? His tortured expression just before killing his lover portrayed a depth of character that is a real bonus! The woman who played his lover was perfectly cast and wardrobed: spinster who is delighted and at the same time, frightened by her affair. The way Alameda phrased his lines with a credible Spanish accent was very nuanced -- a great performance. The interleaving of formal, military funeral rites with the massacre of the insertion team was masterful -- only music and visuals, no dialog. The allusion to formal military honors also being conferred on the soldiers who were mowed down anonymously in the jungle was inspired. Such a cinematic device is more powerful than any narration or mind-numbing 'kill 'em all' sequence can deliver. Compliments to the film editor. The integrated humor mark a new trend in action movies. Ryan asked his boozey helicopter pilot who was checking the manual and instrumentation of a newly purchasd craft "How much time do you have in this type?" The reply, after consulting his watch, was "9:30." Donald Moffat's performance as the President could have greater dimension, and it overtly mimmicked Reagan, but that portrayal counters somewhat Clancy's accused conservative bias. A nod toward Hollywood liberalism? The whole movie, while upholding the courage and honor of American armed forces, rivals Oliver Stone in accusing the executive branch, from the president down, of corruption and betrayal. So even Lefties would find something to like about this movie. The movie's opening sequence promises excellent action with compelling characters: the Coast Guard intercepts a hijacked private yacht and the teen-aged-looking and sounding FEMALE Coast Guard captain was commanding, and was obeyed! This movie engages the viewer on many levels: intellectual, political, visual, human, humorous and does it all entertainingly. Worth several viewings.
Rating:
Summary: Could of Been Better
Review: But it is too late now, oh well. Clear And Present Danger is the third installment in the Jack Ryan Series, like the novel, the story involves around the death of three Americans by the Cali Drug Cartel in Columbia. The thing is, I read the novel, it did not involve around the novel most of the time, the novel had more suspense when you got to the end, and I think that they could of gotten a better actor to play John Clark (played by Williem Dafoe in this movie.) because he did not fit the role of a Ex-Navy SEAL, John Clark is bigger and older than Dafoe, but it is good nonetheless.
If you want to love Clear And Present Danger, then read the book first, then see the movie, take my word for it, you will like the novel better than the film.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie, but better book....
Review: The third installment of Clancy movies and the 2nd of the Harrison Ford movies was better than Patriot Games but not as good as Red October. I thought Alec Baldwin was a closer match to Ryan than Harrison Ford. Ryan in the books seems to be Preppyish and Alec Baldwin got that to a T. Harrison Ford seemed too much like a average guy to be Ryan although he was better in this movie. I thought some of the stuff that happened in the book was better though.
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