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Much ado was made over the decision to cast Ben Affleck in the role of Dr. Jack Ryan. The following outrage expressed by some gave off a strong "Star Wars fanboy" vibe. However, not unlike Tobey Maguire's role in Spider-Man, Affleck turns in a strong performance that should silence many of the pre-movie critics.
For those of you unfamiliar with the character of Jack Ryan, he was originally played by Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October, and later by Harrison Ford in two films; Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Both films were successful financially, and were relatively well-received despite Tom Clancy's (the author of the books all four films have been based on) distaste for them. This film, however, is the first of the four to garner Clancy's seal of approval.
It earned it.
The film is so many things that it's difficult to classify. Despite being highly dramatic, other genres poke their head up now and again. Suspense and action play major roles throughout. There's even a noticable amount of comedy present here, though as the film rolls on, the laughter turns to light chortling, and finally to nothing more than a nervous, tension-relieving chuckle near the film's resolution; a resolution which feels, admittedly, somewhat anti-climactic in light of the story's earlier events. This is a minor flaw, however. Don't let the bombshell fool you into thinking the story is nearing its end: it isn't. The story is about preventing disaster of any kind, and, when that fails, preventing further disaster.
I found myself traveling at a brisk mental pace to ensure that I could keep up with the events unfolding before me, yet I was never forced to break into a full sprint. This level of engagement was unstraining and very refreshing, though nothing less should have been expected from director Phil Alden Robinson, who also helmed Field of Dreams and Sneakers.
The film even supplements us with enough of a romantic angle to provide further interest. It knows its place, however, and never lets this storyline dominate the others. It's complementary, just as it should be. Thanks to this, the pace of the movie feels wonderfully consistent.
As has been already mentioned, Affleck turns in a very solid performance, and fans of the other three Ryan-related movies will certainly appreciate the subtle nods to what becomes his eventual behavior. Not to be outdone, Morgan Freeman plays the role of Bill Cabot (an insider, mentor, and all-around political sage) flawlessly. He is completely believable and instills a Kenobi-esque sense of trust in not only the young Ryan, but the audience as well.
Don't let the film's significant delay in wide release fool you; this is no Rollerball. This film is highly entertaining and more than worthy of the Clancy name. Whether you appreciate political dramas or not, this film is well worth seeing.
For those of you unfamiliar with the character of Jack Ryan, he was originally played by Alec Baldwin in The Hunt for Red October, and later by Harrison Ford in two films; Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Both films were successful financially, and were relatively well-received despite Tom Clancy's (the author of the books all four films have been based on) distaste for them. This film, however, is the first of the four to garner Clancy's seal of approval.
It earned it.
The film is so many things that it's difficult to classify. Despite being highly dramatic, other genres poke their head up now and again. Suspense and action play major roles throughout. There's even a noticable amount of comedy present here, though as the film rolls on, the laughter turns to light chortling, and finally to nothing more than a nervous, tension-relieving chuckle near the film's resolution; a resolution which feels, admittedly, somewhat anti-climactic in light of the story's earlier events. This is a minor flaw, however. Don't let the bombshell fool you into thinking the story is nearing its end: it isn't. The story is about preventing disaster of any kind, and, when that fails, preventing further disaster.
I found myself traveling at a brisk mental pace to ensure that I could keep up with the events unfolding before me, yet I was never forced to break into a full sprint. This level of engagement was unstraining and very refreshing, though nothing less should have been expected from director Phil Alden Robinson, who also helmed Field of Dreams and Sneakers.
The film even supplements us with enough of a romantic angle to provide further interest. It knows its place, however, and never lets this storyline dominate the others. It's complementary, just as it should be. Thanks to this, the pace of the movie feels wonderfully consistent.
As has been already mentioned, Affleck turns in a very solid performance, and fans of the other three Ryan-related movies will certainly appreciate the subtle nods to what becomes his eventual behavior. Not to be outdone, Morgan Freeman plays the role of Bill Cabot (an insider, mentor, and all-around political sage) flawlessly. He is completely believable and instills a Kenobi-esque sense of trust in not only the young Ryan, but the audience as well.
Don't let the film's significant delay in wide release fool you; this is no Rollerball. This film is highly entertaining and more than worthy of the Clancy name. Whether you appreciate political dramas or not, this film is well worth seeing.