The Sum of All Fears (2002)

Directed by Phil Alden Robinson
Written by Paul Attanasio & Daniel Pyne, based on the novel by Tom Clancy
Starring Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, James Cromwell, Liev Schrieber, Ciarán Hinds

My Advice: Matinee.

Jack Ryan (Affleck) is a guy at the CIA who watches things and pays attention. He's a bit of an expert of all things having to do with the Russian government, just from having watched television footage and doing research. He knows who the Russian president was sleeping with in various international locales, and whatnot. But now there's something much bigger going on. There's a new Russian president and he's not completely in control. To hurry matters along towards crisis, there's a group of Euro-fascists, led by Richard Dressler (Alan Bates), who want to play both ends against the middle, so to speak. In order to do this, they've uncovered a forgotten nuclear device and they mean to use it.

When this film was first announced, the perceived troubles were manifold. First, Harrison Ford had exited the franchise because he wanted to try his hand at other things like suspense and comedy (neither of which he's excelled at, unfortunately). Then there was the prospect of doing the film at all, seeing as how the Cold War was over and Arabic terrorists were not-P.C. Then on top of everything else, Ben Affleck snagged the role of Jack Ryan--and many were thinking, "What smack are they croaking? To go from Ford (59) to Affleck (29)?"

The amazing news is that all of these problems don't spring to mind upon watching the film. The switch to Euro-neo-Nazis is done so you'd never know the change if you hadn't read the book. The character of Jack Ryan is too old for Affleck, so they split it up. Action sequences go to Affleck, sage wisdom and experience go to Freeman, playing the director of the CIA. And with a little Chechnya thrown in from the headlines, suddenly the whole Russia vs. the U.S. ploy seems real once more. Nicely done by the scribes on this sucker.

The main thing going in the film's favor is that the subject matter is so intense, it's hard not to be perched on the edge of your seat. But instead of simply coasting on that premise alone, it manages to become a very capable nailbiter. Affleck seems competent enough to play the Ryan he's given. Freeman is always an achiever, so no worries there. But the best casting goes to not only the President and his Cabinet (Cromwell and a slew of great character actors) but Schrieber as the new retooled younger John Clark (played previously by Willem Dafoe). The Cabinet emergency meetings actually have the ragged spontaneity that one would expect from such proceedings. And Schrieber just exudes cool deadliness. We dig it.

This is worth a matinee but a warning must be in place. This film will hit close to home. Almost too close to home. If you're already freaked out by the current events dealing with terrorism, then this film will muck up your head. Period. But if you're willing to make the unfortunately small leap of disbelief, then you're in for a decent ride.