As the tag line asks, which is it? In light of recent world events including terrorists, dirty bombs, etc., it's hard to tell sometimes. For me, this led to my overall sense of creepiness as I watched "The Sum of All Fears", the latest installment of Tom Clancy novels-turned Hollywood action blockbuster.
In general, I liked this movie. It had an interesting plot, good action, and a strong cast. The story could've been a little more challenging, I mean, do you need to show the swastika on the guy's watch as he gives a speech? I think we could've figured out that they were neo-nazi terrorists on our own. But Hollywood does love to spoon-feed you, so it's expected.
Also, I found it hard to accept the story when you put it in the context of the other Clancy book-turned movies. Ben Affleck does a fine job, but in earlier movies, Harrison Ford is still a relatively low level CIA operative. I thought these movies were supposed to be later in Ryan's life, but that doesn't make sense. It's almost like every movie has to develop Jack Ryan's reputation from scratch. Who knows, maybe I just thought too much about it.
My other gripe is that it unnecessarily stretches the limits of believability. But if you liked Spy Games and other espionage movies, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy "The Sum of All Fears." Remember "Spies Like Us"? |
