The Sum of All Fears (2002)

Here's a fresh interpretation of a popular Tom Clancy novel, which mixes CIA jargon with presidential anguish into a pleasing, pulse-pounding brew. The impact of the 9/11 disaster is readily apparent in this suspenseful movie which is part disaster-film itself. The old trick of US vs. Russia (but not really) is familiar territory, but through crisp writing and engaging characters the story is given time to develop, strengthening the clichés and making everything very watchable. A strong budget leads to some very effective effects sequences, and cinematography and score are both excellent. The cast is also populated with some strong character actors – Liev Schrieber has never been better than here, as a spy; Morgan Freeman does his 'wise old mentor' role with skill, wit and relish; James Cromwell makes for a very human and believable president; even the usually bland Ben Affleck comes out good, having followed in Harrison Ford's shoes as the heroic Jack Ryan.The opening of the film sets the style well and leads us into some very dark areas. One of the major incidents in the film involves a nuclear weapon exploding in a packed US city, which makes for pretty frightening viewing. Realism seems to be 100% through and through and there are no annoying plot holes or discrepancies. The last half of the film racks up the suspense levels with tons of action and adventure, making this a film to be watched and a darned sight better than most modern fare.

The Sum of All Fears is a good movie with a well written storyline and a great cast.It is a very good thriller and it has some great special effects as well,but I didn't find any of the action or dialogue very breathtaking.Its definitely the worst Jack Ryan film to date,although I did really enjoy Ben Affleck as Ryan,he's certainly no Harrison Ford but he was definitely better than Alec Baldwin,I would have liked to see more Ryan films with Affleck in the main role but it dosen't seem like that will be happening anytime soon.I wasn't impressed with the amount of screen time Morgan Freeman received,they made it seem like he was a very main character in this but he probably had 20 minutes of screen time,I was surprised to see James Cromwell in this,I thinks he's an underrated actor who would rarely star in movies like this,but he played an important role and did a great job.Fans of previous Jack Ryan films won't love it,but you won't hate it either,Sum of All Fears is an enjoyable movie that I would recommend to anyone looking for a good thriller or drama if it's ever on television. Jack Ryan must prevent the plans of a terrorist organisation that is trying to start huge conflict between Russia and the USA. Best Performance: James Cromwell

Just rewatched this again on Bluray.Still holds up well saw it when it came to the cinema in 2002. This film is superb. it really stands the test of time all classic movies do.Phil Alden Robinson's direction is almost flawless he deserved an Oscar nod for this its a shame he is not interested in directing more often because he is a very talented man! Jerry Goldmsith produces his last great score the music is terrific.Ben Affleck was perfect as Ryan. Paramount made a huge mistake not making more Jack Ryan films with him.Morgan Freeman, James Cromwell, Alan Bates, Bruce McGill, Philip Baker Hall, Ciaran Hinds, Michael Byrne, Liev Schreiber, Ron Rifkin, Colm Feore, John Beasley all produce a perfect performance & the rest of the cast also did well with very limited screen time.The scope & scale of this film was also impressive considering the low budget it looks/feels like a much bigger film than it is.I would say its not quite the best Jack Ryan movie but also more interesting than Patriot Games & Jack Ryan (the worse in the series by a long way).Finally, the themes covered & the way the story is presented are quite chilling as they mirror certain real life global political events recently.

I just watched The Sum of All Fears. Isn't it ever spring in Moscow? The crisis starts during the White House Correspondents Dinner. That's usually around the end of April or the beginning of May. There was still a couple of feet of snow in Russia! April and May the temperature is usually above freezing. It's not just this picture, every movie I remember seeing, Moscow is always frozen solid! Red Heat, Gorky Park, Russia House. Just once I'd like to see a film set in Russia where you can't see the actors breath. Has there ever been a movie where the sun is shining in Russia?J. Woodiwiss