Patriot Games (1992) / Thriller-Action

MPAA Rated: R for strong sexuality, and for language and violence
Running Time: 117 min.

Cast: Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Patrick Bergin, Sean Bean, Thora Birch
Director:  Philip Noyce
Screenplay: W. Peter Iliff, Donald Stewart (based on the novel by Tom Clancy)
Review published February 13, 1998

CIA agent Jack Ryan (Ford, Presumed Innocent) is back, this time on vacation in England when he stops an assassination attempt on a member of the Royal Family by a band of Irish terrorists. In the scuffle, Ryan kills a young lad and the terrorists vow revenge on Ryan and his family.

Nice action sequences and credible acting punctuate this intelligent second entry in the Jack Ryan saga. Ford replaces Alec Baldwin, who portrayed starred in the first film The Hunt for Red October, and gives the role more believability and depth with convincing results. Though the plot isn't the most interesting, nor the situations particularly as dire as in the first flick, this definitely delivers all of the action and intrigue you'd expect from a Clancy novel.   

Qwipster's rating:

©1998 Vince Leo