Rating: 
Summary: Is it Just me?
Review: I'm really starting to wonder if I have contracted some disease which makes me incapable of taking seriously movies that the public at large seems to be drinking down like water. During the opening scene the movie actually seems like it might be watchable. Then everything goes right down the can for good and all. What's that? You want examples? Well, again, maybe I'm just nuts, but I just can't sit still for one more movie make out scene where big name actor and actress unconvincingly, passionlessly grope eachother and then kiss eachother openmouthed without tongues. I mean what IS that?!?! Its like the make-out equivalent of those movie telephone numbers that all start with 555 in order to give you to understand that its fake, not real, so you don't go out to the lobby and dial the number because you've got nothing else to do and you wind up bothering some old lady in Phoenix. But exactly what prank are we prevented from by the fake french kissing? And, if there is some law that stipulates that people in movies can't french kiss, then why bother at all? Are the audience members supposed to count themselves lucky they got on board with this picture because now they're sitting there in the theater and there's kinda sorta some almost making out? Anybody who gets turned on by this crudola has got more serious problems than going to a movie is going to solve.
Then, there's the matter of dialog. For example a scene in which Ben Affleck's girlfriend - whom he's just been fake-kissing - is at her post as a med student, scrubbing up before some nameless operation with another female med student who is asking about Affleck's job. Now, first of all, isn't this talking while scrubbing up scene a bit run into the ground? I mean do we have to see it yet one more time because the screenwriter just couldn't be bothered to think of something original? And THEN... so the girlfriend tells her coworker that Affleck is a historian. THe coworker, who is obviously supposed to be a highly educated if not intelligent person says "Ya-awn!" as if she is twelve years old and palling around with her idiot friends at the local mall. I mean listen, maybe this person is a piece of garbage, but she as a med student must be no stranger to the mind-numbing tedium of endless details that must be crammed into one's brain to get that big degree. I'm sure much of medical study is profoundly boring, so where does this chick get off?!?!?
Rating: 
Summary: Likeable Thriller
Review: In this film adapatation of the bestselling novel,Clancy's intrepid uberhero Jack Ryan has transmuted from Harrison Ford's sure-footed adept major player to Ben Affleck's waiting-to-get-his-big-break junior man. Strange? Only when judging the film with the novel and the author's entire body of work involving Jack Ryan. Having not read the novel, this obvious discrepancy did not play a part in my judgement of the film or its performances.
On the whole, the film is good; the premise believable, all the more chilling in the wake of 9-11. Affleck is on the brink of being 'discovered' by the CIA higher-ups; his paper on the new Russian president moves him into an inner circle of quick decision-making presidential advisers headed by the wonderful Morgan Freeman. Not knowing the protocol, Ryan speaks when he is not spoken to, is judged green, shut down by the brass and goes through many agonizing moments of frustration when he is not even given the chance to express his theories.
In the end, he is proven correct, but not before monumentally catastrophic disaster strikes in scenes all too reminiscient of 9-11.
Affleck is amicable enough as Ryan; I would have liked to see how Harrison Ford's more mature Ryan would have changed the plot and the interchange with other characters. Of course, Morgan Freeman is fantastic (as he always is) in his role as senior advisor.
Recommended to all who like a fast-paced thriller that all works out well in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Fear Elsewhere
Review: If I had been Phil Alden Robinson viewing a rough cut of this film, I would have hung my head in sorrow and said, "Ben Affleck conveys as much emotional earnesty as the cast of Beverly Hills 90210 in a round-about episode addressing AIDS, world hunger and existential angst, in of all places, "The Peach Pit." Perfect hair, women suitable for eye candy and the latest fashions would be apropos. The Sum of All Fears is no better; and I must honestly advise those of you rearing for a taut thriller, superb dramatic conviction and a true film adaptation of Tom Clancy's novel, should seek the solace of Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Once again, Ben Affleck has proven that he can only act in films written by Generation X'ers who revel in Kevin Smith's wordy bombast and asinine antics. Believability is thrown amuck with cocky grins, insecure wisecracks and shallow attempts at seriousness in dire, if not direct parallels, to our emerging vulnerability toward third world terrorism. The Sum of All Fears has all the makings of a great film, but poor type-casting, bad acting and haphazard direction make this film a disgrace, if not a great thorn, in the pride of Paramount's "Jack Ryan" series. Many of the performances lack believability; especially Affleck's dabbles in dating a stunning, beautiful (and supposedly brilliant) doctor, who seems better suited for Melrose Place or a wallflower in the Viper Room. Even the sets lack any remote semblance of credibility, particularly the laughable scenes depicting air turbulence in Air-Force One that seem to utilize bygone special effects dug directly from 50's sci-fi camp and Ed Wood's cutting room floor. Please view at your own intellectual peril.
Rating: 
Summary: An updated Black Sunday
Review: An updated Black Sunday, but a movie with nowhere near the depth of Black Sunday.
This film certainly had its moments and the suspense is well directed.
This is a cautionery tale but the viewer is left to draw his own conclusions, and the real message here may be too subtle for the casual viewer.
The moral is essentially about the dangers of handing unlimited power to fallible human beings as well as the danger of meddling in other peoples affairs. These may not be the intended morals but they come through pretty loud and clear anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Good Action Thriller...Bad Jack Ryan Film
Review: This movie is enjoyable to watch only if you take it out of the Jack Ryan universe. If you're a fan of the Tom Clancy character and have read the books, like me, then don't watch this movie. This movie does not stay fateful to the Jack Ryan character at all and the plot also has been altered considerably from the book. In the literary Jack Ryan timeline Sum of all Fears takes place AFTER Clear and Present Danger. Ryan is older, wiser and has risen high in the Washington DC political world and he's still married with two kids. Also in the book Arab terrorists use the bomb, not Neo Nazi facists. There's nothing I hate more than political correctness in a film just to tame down possible public backlash from the scripts original content. Ben Affleck plays a good Jack Ryan considering the fact his character is a complete do over and does not continue on from Baldwin's or Ford's portrayal of Ryan. I never could get into this movie because I've read Clancy's books and I love the Jack Ryan character. I found the film's plot insulting to my intelligence and Affleck's Ryan a step backward not forward. Simply put, if you want to see a good stand alone action/suspence/thriller then this is a movie you will like. But if you're hoping for more good adventures from Jack Ryan and want to see this character grow, then don't bother this movie will just tick you off.
Rating:
Summary: Rebirth of Jack Ryan???
Review: At first, I hesitated, but after viewing this film and watching the extra features, I feel that choosing Ben as "Jack Ryan" was a smart choice. In order to keep this series running, which I am assuming there going to eventually, do the whole Jack Ryan series, they needed to make him younger, at least for this movie. The only one I see them having trouble rewritting for a younger role is Executive Orders, but maybe Harrison can play that role? We will see. Overall, the film was enjoyable to watch but, it is very bent from the book. It is just impossible to fit all of Tom Clancy's explicit detail into a two hour film, so Robinson neede to make a few adjustments. I was impressed how Robinson used his methods of filming to show a nuclear blast. It was tastefully done, keeping out the gore that we know can happen with such an event, but also captivating you in the moment and focusing more on the aftermath. The film quality is relativly well done. I did not experience much grain at all and could not see any major defects.
Sound was also well done and split well using all my speakers efficiently. I am glad this film was not altered due to the wake of Sept 11th. I think we need a film like this to reitereate the importance of homeland security and the fight to keep our freedom here in this country. Just like Freeman says in the movie, "It's not the Russians I worry about, its the person with one that intends to use it." I am going to give this movie 4 stars because all though I enjoyed watching it, it really doesn't hold true to the book.
Rating:
Summary: Astray
Review: Yes this movie is somewhat entertaining considering that it was Clancy's most boring book. H. Ford should have done this one. Nobody is pointing out that by this time Ryan was a major player at the CIA not a nobody analyst. That is the biggest let down for me.
Rating:
Summary: Flawed film, excellent DVD
Review: The first adaptation of a Tom Clancy novel, "The Hunt for Red October," got everything right, which made the two mundane adaptations starring Harrison Ford all the more disappointing. While it doesn't rise to the level of HfRO, "The Sum of All Fears" is a major improvement for the series. Still, there are some serious flaws with the film, the biggest being the awkward transition between the first and second halves; from a leisurely spy thriller, the story abruptly jumps into overdrive at the one-hour mark. The football game that signals this change comes from nowhere unless you're familiar with Clancy's novel. Numerous technical errors mar much of the film as well (How did the Russian fighters get to the American carrier so easily? How can Russian air defenses monitor stealth bombers taking off?). Thankfully all these problems and more are addressed in the commentary track with Tom Clancy and director Phil Alden Robinson. For Clancy fans the commentary is well worth the cost of the DVD, even if you hate the movie. Hear Tom call parts of the script "pure s**t"! Hear Tom say Bridget Moynihan should eat something! Hear Tom call Ben Affleck a kid! Hear Tom learn exciting new acronyms! Robinson also does a second commentary with the cinematographer, this one more focused on the technical aspects of film-making. Compared to Fincher's "Seven" commentaries or Sam Mendes' "American Beauty" commentary, you aren't going to learn a lot, but it's still decent. The DVD also comes with several featurettes, mostly the sort of thing you'd see on HBO, although there is an interesting moment when Mace Neufeld grinds his teeth while trying to explain why Harrison Ford dropped from the franchise -- you can see him trying not to be nasty. If you enjoy having ads on your DVDs, you'll be disappointed -- there's one 2:30 trailer, but none of the TV spots.
Rating:
Summary: An Engaging thriller
Review: Ben Afflick plays a young Jack Ryan is brought in a write a report for the CIA by the CIA Director William Cobot (Morgon Freeman). Ryan funds out that a small group of terrorists plan to bomb a football game that the president (James Cromwell) will be at with a Nuke the U.S. lost 28 years ago. The terrorists want to provoke a war between the U.S. and Russia and now only Ryan can stop that from happening. Not sure why there's so many people hating on this film here as I don't think it's bad at all. I think Ben Afflick does an excellent job playing Ryan. Some people complain that Alec Baldwin wasn't brought in. But hello Baldwin is too old now to play Ryan when he's first starting out with the CIA. Well anyway Afflick is good but the whole time watching it I wanted to see more of Liev Schreiber (Scream 2, Kate & Leapold). He plays the character William Defoe played in Clear and Present Danger. I'm not sure if I'm right though but I thought Ryan and that character first just meet in Clear and Present Danger. If that's a flaw or not I'm not sure but anyway Schreiber is excellent. If there's another Ryan film I'd like to see much more of the Liev Schreiber characater in action. Ryan is trying to stop a war between the U.S. and Russia but it's Schreiber who is actually trying to stop the terrorists who are behind it. So I sorta found him a lot more interesting than Ryan. He's someone I wouldn't mind playing as him in a Metal Gear Solid type video game, lol. Well enough about Schreiber, besides liking his character a lot I also just caught up in the whole story. The movie isn't as good as Clear and Present Danger but isn't as deep or hard to follow as it either. I wouldn't call it bad at all even if it's not the best. It still left me aching for another one.
Rating:
Summary: Thanks Hollywood. Like We Aren't Scared Enough Already.
Review: I was deeply offended when this movie was released so soon after 9-11. I don't understand how anyone could enjoy watching a nuclear bomb explode in the U.S. right now. That said the explosion is the only dramatic part of this film. The message that Israel having nuclear weapons is as dangerous as the breakaway former Soviet states having them will surely be lost on the masses of fools who ran to the theaters to see this .... The nuclear explosion is frightening because of the time we are living in. But the film will put you right back to sleep within 15 minutes of it's detonation. Ben Affleck is ridiculous as this forgettable "Jack Ryan" character that keeps popping up in these stupid Tom Clancy movies. ...
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