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CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER
Special Collector's Edition
Review by Gordon Justesen
Stars: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer, James Earl Jones
Director: Phillip Noyce
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Surround, French Dolby Surround
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Studio: Paramount
Features: See Review
Length: 141 Minutes
Release Date: May 6, 2003
“You
see everything in black and white.”
“Not
black and white, RIGHT and WRONG!”
Film
****
When I am asked
which of the Jack Ryan movies is my absolute favorite, I never hesitate with my
response. While I can easily say that The
Sum of All Fears and Hunt For Red
October tie for second, my top favorite of the series has, is, and probably
will always be Clear and Present Danger.
I feel that this entry in the Jack Ryan adventures has a certain level of
authenticity and epic quality that surpasses the other films. The story has many
layers to it, the settings spread from one part of the globe to another, with
pivotal story events occurring simultaneously, and the very political strategy
behind the events in the story is rather mind-boggling in a way. This may have
you thinking differently about how political power in America is executed.
Harrison Ford
returns as Jack Ryan, whose life is back to normal following the trauma he and
his family suffered in Patriot Games.
Following the news that his longtime mentor, Greer (James Earl Jones), has been
diagnosed with terminal cancer, Ryan discovers, much to his surprise, that he
will be appointed as Deputy Director of the CIA. He is hesitant at first about
filling in such big shoes, but he proceeds anyway. Little does he know that once
sworn in, he will be in the middle of a horrendous cover up, devised by the very
unthinkable.
Following a
drug-related slaying of someone who was very close to the President, a covert op
is constructed by two of the Presidents highest ranking associates, Ritter
(Henry Czerny), head of the CIA and Cutter (Harris Yulin), National Security
Advisor. Ritter personally assigns a contract mercenary named Clark (Willem
Dafoe) to lead an elite team into the jungles of Columbia to wipe out the drug
cartel responsible for the assassination. It will manage to become a complicated
matter when Ryan, who after being sworn in, has agreed to not send any troops
into South America, gets involved.
Meanwhile, in Bogotá,
drug lord Ernesto Escobedo (Miguel Sandoval) is happy about the results of the
slaying which he ordered, while his right hand man, Felix Cortez (Joaquim De
Almeida), is frequently opposed to the way which his boss handles his business.
As it turns out, the victim who was friends with the President left behind $650
million in an offshore account, which is no doubt drug money. When Escobedo
learns that this money is being held by the President, he is furious, claiming
it is being stolen from him. It also isn’t helping Escobedo that the very
covert op that Clark was sent on is inevitably destroying the drug lord’s
market. These two factors seem to ignite a deadly, but very covert battle,
between both countries.
When assigned to
visit Colombia to find any connection between the slaying and possible funding
from drugs, Ryan, along with members of the FBI and Secret Service, are targeted
by renegade Columbians, in an astonishing action sequence. Up against an army of
extremist armed with machine guns and missile launchers, Ryan, who’s cohorts
are wiped out, must elude unarmed by way of driving a caravan, which is
literally in flames, out of dangerous territory.
It is here where
Ryan discovers the possibility of being set up. It’s not too long after that
when he suspects some wrong doings in the very office he works in, which may
lead all the way to the highest level of power, but even this doesn’t prevent
Ryan from proceeding to do justice and bring the truth to light.
Of all the films in
the Jack Ryan series, this one certainly has something of novel feel to it,
which is one of the big factors in its overall quality. I like the way the film
cuts between settings at just the right time to show pivotal events taking
place. Between Washington, Columbia, and the South American jungle, we are given
glimpses of important stuff at the exact point and time it is needed to be
discovered. I really feel this deserved an Oscar nomination for Film Editing.
Directed with top
flight sharpness by Phillip Noyce (Patriot
Games), Clear and Present Danger
is one of those movies that grabs you and never lets go. The marvelous script
adaptation by Donald Stewart, Steve Zaillian and John Milus is, I think, among
the best delivered for any mainstream thriller, and Harrison Ford, being nearly
overshadowed by other events in the movie, manages to still come out strong and
on top as Jack Ryan. It also features a strong supporting cast, including a
standout performance from Henry Czerny, who finds the right tone of
despicability to his role.
Clear
and Present Danger is the
high point of the Jack Ryan series, for me at least, and remains the best of the
series, and possibly will be for years to come, despite how many additional
movies will be made.
Video
****
Not only is this
the most superb movie of the Jack Ryan Collection, but it is arguably the best
transfer of the three new revised discs, and since this movie has less age to
it, the results certainly make sense. Given the much needed anamorphic makeover,
the movie looks downright better than ever, appearing sharp and crisp for every
single moving frame. All of the settings look striking, from Washington to
Colombia, etc. Even various sequences that take place in darkly lit areas (such
as a scenes in the Colombian jungle) payoff in unexpected ways. Paramount has
delivered a terrific looking disc, and certainly one of the best I’ve seen
this year.
Audio
****
Likewise comments
for the audio job. The 5.1 mix is put to extravagantly terrific use for this
action thriller, which carries with it many scenes with DVD potential. There are
plentiful scenes of combat, fights, and explosions, all of which deliver the
biggest of the boom, but even areas of dialogue delivery and music (a powerful
score by veteran maestro James Horner), are delivered in the highest form of
audio power as well. Paramount should congratulate themselves on a job well
done.
Features
**
Like the disc for Patriot
Games, the extras department is something of a letdown, as all that is
supplied is a well constructed featurette, “Behind the Danger”, and a
trailer.
Summary: