Movies-TV

STILL PLAYING GAMES ON THIS LATEST TRANSFER

There's just no polite way of saying this, so here goes. When Paramount DVD first issued "Clear and Present Danger" the transfer quality was...well...gosh darn awful. In fact it had to rank up there with the worst transfers I had ever seen. Now we get the new and improved, second "special" edition of this cloak and dagger thriller.
Based on the novel by Tom Clancy, Harrison Ford is Jack Ryan, a professor and retired CIA agent who gets thrown back into the hopper when he accidentally becomes involved in a terrorist plot to assassinate one of England's Royals. The plot has heavily dated. It centers around a drug cartel and CIA agent, Jack Ryan's mission to infiltrate and stop the spread of massive drug trading into the U.S. Yeah - right!
This latest transfer from Paramount Home Entertainment really isn't as much of an improvement as one would have hoped for. Almost gone are the excessive aliasing, shimmering and edge enhancement, abundantly present on the original DVD - but not entirely. Pixelization still plagues many of the outdoor scenes and long shots. But of more concern is the color balancing. At times flesh tones appear too pink or orange. Fine details are completely lost in the dark scenes while they occasionally appear digitally harsh during some of the day scenes. Overall the color scheme is muted, dull and muddy with a bland characteristic. Several scenes are also plagued by an opaque haze that weakens black and contrast levels. Film grain, nicks, chips and scratches are blatantly apparent throughout and, while they don't distract, they really don't add anything to the viewing experience either. The audio is presented in both 5.1 and DTS. Both versions are almost identical with the DTS bumping up the bass levels a notch. Still, at times voices seem to be centered too directly into the center speaker with little to no ambiance spread across the other channels. Some effects and screams crackle the sound field and are strident and grating on the ear.
EXTRAS: We get a comprehensive documentary that covers all the bases and a theatrical trailer. This is Paramount doing its bare bones best and it's disappointing.
BOTTOM LINE: Yes, this is the preferred DVD of this movie. But it's still not the way I'd prefer to watch it.

Bad end action sequece....

The movie was very entertaining and educational but to be a classic in it's genre,it should have had better action sequences towards the end of the movie.Particularly the scenes of the daring rescue of the special forces from the Colombians.The thrill was there but the action was not powerfull enough which fans of this movie subject will definitely demand.Ford may be getting old but he can still pull off better action sequences than what was shown in this movie.Even the scenes where in the US special forces were defeated by the mercenaries could have been way better.The scenes where the CIA guys were ambushed in their vans was very good.They should have continued with those kind of sequences in the other action scenes.It was a bad decition to tone down the violence too much becouse the seriousness of the movie demands realism to become a classic.Still a good try.I know Ford did not like the way it was done as well and that is why he is reluctant as of now to play Jack Ryan again.Ford knows movies well.I give this one an 8 out of 10.

Decent movie, poor adaptation

Although you should never get too caught up in comparing a movie to the book it is based on, this is hard to avoid with this film. Of all the Clancy books, this remains my favorite and I was highly disappointed with how it was handled, mostly because it made future sequels all but impossible to make without increasing the chasm between the two mediums. Great characters from this book and future stories are either changed completely or killed off. That is tough to ignore.As for the movie as a standalone vehicle, it was decent. Nothing really new to be found in it. Things just seem a little too predictable (even the original material that wasn't in the book) and cliche Hollywood.

Helicopters, Snipers, and Banal Presidents

Be it as it is, the films adapted from Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series are really a good time to be had by sitting back and enjoying a bit of action and espionage. There really is not that much more to it.In this sequel to Patriot Games, Jack Ryan is caught up between the personal vendettas of the President of the United States and some Columbian drug lords. I have to give this movie a bit of credit for creating such a really banal President that seems atrocious even now that we've gotten used to Dubya and all that, and its enjoyable elements include a really neat sniper character, Willem Dafoe, and helicopters. It wouldn't be a Tom Clancy story without helicopters.Harrison Ford puts off his usual "Good family guy forced into a fight he doesn't want to have in the first place," and this time his good-boy role is taken to a kind of different level wherein it actually becomes his own problem, but it's not like he really has to expand as an actor or anything to pull it off. Same with Willem Dafoe, really.Sit down and give it a whirl, it's great with friends and some good fattening snacks.--PolarisDiB

an explosive sequal to "PATRIOT GAMES"

Harrison Ford the everyman man's man is back as Jack Ryan, the uncoruptable, loyal CIA agent based on the chracter created by novelist Tom Clancey. This time around Jack is acting CIA Director Who faces betrayal and trechery from his own goverment when trying to capture a Columbian Drug Lord responsble for murdering the U.S President's best friend & Family. Great action sequences especally when Jack & his men were trapped under fire during a terroist attack. CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER Is much more of drama with action blended in rather than it's predesscor PATRIOT GAMES(1992)was an all battle of cat & mouse between good and evil. I hope Ford one day will do another installment of the Jack Ryan trilogy because with Ford's acting style you know it won't turn into a James Bond routine. Even though when Jack Ryan was hanging onto the rails of the Heloicopter during the cliamatic finale it looked liked a scene cut out of a James Bond film. Nevethless a truly magnifcent performence from one of Hollywood's Best.

The worst installment of a bad series

Film adaptations of Tom Clancy's bestselling novels have never really measured up to the success of the books and this third film outing of Clancy's most popular character, CIA agent Jack Ryan, ranks as the worst adaptation of all. The book of the same name was the bestselling novel of the 1980's but probably one of the worst films of the 1990's. Harrison Ford reprises his "Patriot Games" role as Ryan. This time out, Ryan works to uncover and expose a working connection between a South American drug ring and an advisor for the U.S. President. Long before this dull film was over, it didn't really matter to me anymore how it was going to turn out. Most other viewers may feel the same way here. Stick with the novels because the film adaptations are just not as engrossing for some odd reason.

A Tom Clancy classic piece. One drawback in the series...

Goods: I really did enjoy this movie. It was a wonderful piece.

A man willing to sacrifice all that he had for what he knew was the right thing... that's a powerful statement.

Even with the violence inherent in this movie, I believe it is a great movie for the kids to watch.

Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer, James Earl Jones... all incredible talents. Loved it all.

Bads: Ya know, after Star Wars, et. al., my belief is that Harrison Ford plays swashbucklers... add in Witness and other rough and tough movies, and you can't help but type cast this guy. It's hard to keep the continuity between the Hunt for Red October and the somewhat timid "Gee I can't do that since I'm not a field agent" and Han Solo... Alec Baldwin should have played this part to keep things believable.

The romance between Anne and Harrison was explored only slightly... and even there, in Hunt for Red October, the wife was played by Gates McFadden (Yay Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek The Next Generation)... yet another faux pas in the film.

Overall: It would easily be a five with the original characters from Hunt for Red October. Sorry, it's only a four.

Still, I loved it, bought it, and you should too.

An atrocity to a fine novel; Clancy should sue!

The book was great. I realize that rarely does a movie cover a book well, but this was absolutely ridiculous! Half the scenes in the movie were completely fabricated from the screenwriter's imagination, and bore no resemblance to the events portrayed in the book. Furthermore, the casting was awful. Willem DaFoe as Clark? Give me a break! DaFoe is a great actor, but horribly miscast here. All in all, it was disgraceful. Even as a stand-alone movie, it stunk.

Overblown dreck...

This third installment of the Jack Ryan series gets too confused too quick and can't find a way out. It also contains way too much action for a movie that wants to be taken seriously. Harrison Ford is Jack Ryan again, and he's the worst to date. Alec Baldwin will forever be the best Ryan and Ford and Affleck will just have to deal with it. In this movie, it's Ryan vs. everybody from Columbians to the president of the United States himself in a plot so perplexing it's a wonder the movie ever gets off the ground. This is not that good of a movie and a poor follow-up to the cool "Patriot Games." I'm disappointed.

Excellent! Outstanding! One of my Favorite Films of All-Time!

This is a fun, entertaining, very awesome movie. I love it.The directing is great, the acting is great, the pacing is amazing, and the sound effects are some of the best i've ever heard.It's about Jack Ryan investigating events surrounding a Columbian drug cartel and a secret special ops team sent in to wipe it out.The movie starts off a little slow, like the first 30 minutes, but the pace soon quickens.The action scenes are some of the best i've ever seen. This is one of the best movies ever, in my opinion.The script is also spectacular.I remember a period in my life, like a year ago, when I would watch this movie every day! Sometimes twice in one day. I do remember watching it almost 5 times a week because I loved it so much. Now I haven't watched it in a while (I think I may have watched it too much!), but i'm sure i'll watch it soon in the future once again.I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! I give it a 10 out of 10.

Read the book, don't watch the movie

It's not hard to see why Tom Clancy doesn't give his approval to the movie that are based on his books. There isn't a single plot line in the book that the movie doesn't butcher.The cast is good, and if the movie had actually followed the book, the movie could have been great. I hate to criticize Harrison Ford movies, but this one disappointed me.

Clear and Present Excitement!

Clear and Present Danger is a great film, bar none. I have read many Clancy books, but Clear and Present Danger isn't one of them. Perhaps I hold this film in such high regard because of that (I can never forgive them for altering the climax of Hunt for Red October.)

Harrison's second outing as Jack Ryan is definitely better than his first. While Patriot Games was a straight action thriller, Clear and Present Danger combines suspenseful action sequences with genuine political intrigue. Jack Ryan is sent after a Colombian drug lord at the same time that his superiors at the CIA have sent special forces into Colombia to do the dirty deed themselves. This is a complex film that will satisfy both the action crowd and those who want a "thinking man's movie."

Some people have complained about the film's length. I'm angry that it wasn't long enough. A Clancy novel is so far-reaching that a three hour film is needed to capture its scope. The movie going public is generally too impatient to sit that long, and a lot of good material ends up getting cut.

Willem Dafoe and James Earl Jones also give strong performances as John Clark and Admiral Greer. Harrison Ford makes a great Jack Ryan despite his age. I'm disappointed that he turned down the upcoming (watered down) adaptation of "The Sum of All Fears." I was holding out hope that he would return for a movie based on "Executive Orders," but Sept. 11th killed all chances that book had of going to the big screen.

Even if you have never read Tom Clancy, watch Clear and Present Danger. If you have your choice between watching the movie and reading the book, watch the movie first, then read the book. I'm usually disappointed when I see the movie first and then realize how much great material was left in the novel.

The best movie I've ever seen

This movie is only for the experienced movie watcher, it takes all your skills to keep up with the plot. Reading the book before hand will help the task. Clear and Present Danger is a thrilling escape from reality when you imagine yourself as CIA intelligence officer Jack Ryan. Through the jungles of Columbia to the streets of D. C. this is a Classic.

Good political thriller

The sequel to Patriot Games but not as good. But still it is very intriguing adult sophisticated movie. Harrison Ford is a good actor but can be quite irritating at times. William Defoe is good but there is no special acting in the film. It drags on quite a bit at times but it does end good. A James Bond rip off by characters and not as good as any Bond film but still a film that should not be passed on. A lot better than Star Wars.

Does not work for me!

The third installment in the cinematic incarnation of Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan and the second starring Harrison Ford, this follow-up to Patriot Games is a more complex, rewarding, and bolder film than its predecessor. Ford returns as Ryan, this time embroiled in a failed White House bid to wipe out a Colombian drug cartel and cover up the mess. The script, by Clancy and John Milius (Red Dawn), has an air of true adventure about it as Ryan places himself in harm's way to extract covert soldiers abandoned in a Latin American jungle. There are a couple of remarkable set pieces expertly handled by Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce, especially a shocking scene involving an ambush on Ryan's car in an alley. The supporting cast is superb, including Willem Dafoe as the soldiers' leader, Henry Czerny as Ryan's enemy at the CIA, Joaquim De Almeida as a smooth-talking villain, Ann Magnuson as an unwitting confederate in international crime, and James Earl Jones as Ryan's dying boss. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, theatrical trailer, closed captioning, optional French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles.

Good, but.....

I did enjoy this movie. The sniper training and stalking were first rate. BUT, I just could not understand why Jack Ryan would not pick up a firearm to defend himself. It had been demonstrated in past stories that he did indeed know how to handle something that goes bang. I guess it is just now a bad thing to have the good guy touch something as evil as a sidearm or rifle....even to save a life.

Stop right now.

Do NOT buy this movie. I wouldn't even recommend watching it, unless you've seen everything on the Weather Channel recently. It is nothing like the book, which was very good. So, after you finish reading my wonderful and informative review, go to the "Book" section, then buy this book, because it's actually worth your time.

I suppose the reason why I'm so disappointed by this movie is (much like "Starship Troopers,") I thought so highly of the book that the movie would almost have to be a let-down.

My problem with the film version of this book can be summed up thusly: Hollywood's Bob Ritter is a disloyal, Beltway-political sleaze who cuts off the commandos simply because it's easier than fighting for them. Clancy's Bob Ritter holds loyalty as the highest virtue. He made his name in the CIA by going against orders behind the Iron Curtain to effect the escape of one of his agents whose cover had been blown.

I also feel compelled to correct some other erronious statements made by another reviewer. Benjamin Bratt was NOT the sniper. Bratt was the captain in charge of the team. One more thing: CAPITAL LETTERS SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR EMPHASIS ON SPECIFIC POINTS. THEY LOSE THEIR EFFECTIVNESS IF YOU TYPE EVERYTHING IN CAPS, LIKE I'M DOING NOW. It's much better if you use them to accentuate specific points, like how STUPID some Hollywood scriptwriters can be when they butcher my favorite books.

Excellent movie about political back-stabbing

Great movie with pivitol action sequences thrown into an amazing plot. Harrison Ford is at the top of his game in this movie. Great!

Clear And Present Surprise!

The Plot: (Harrison Ford) Returns as intrepid CIA agent Jack Ryan in this critically acclaimed box-office smash from the producers of Patriot Games. When his mentor Admiral James Greer (James Earl Jones) becomes gravely ill, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: Investigate the murders of one of the president's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Willem Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary strike force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in - the truth.My Spiel: This is my favorite of the Tom Clancy style war books turned to movies. Granted I like Hunt for the Red October. But the style of this is something else. This in my eyes is a true classic, of a man getting caught in a situation way bigger then he can explain at first. In the styles of the Patriot Games. This has a major one up on that. When the strike force team move in to Colombian territories commanded by Willem Dafoe's character. Also to the character Jack Ryan getting thrown / Betrayed into a conspiracy to send troops to stop the drug trafficking and cartel, and then uncovers the truth, and wants nothing more then to get those troops out after they were sold out. This is a action packed movie from beginning to end with the assault on the Suburban scene and every scene with the paramilitary strike force team. Love the acting between Harrison Ford and Willem Dafoe truly something to be admired, favorite scene when Ford goes to get the helicopter for Dafoe.Clear and Present Danger (1994) Review: 8/10

Visually Disappointing But Audibly Exciting on Blu ray

In typical studio fashion, Paramount has transfered this exact same master that was temporarily released on HD DVD early this year which was a mixed bag and not what these films, the fans of the films, or high def owners deserve.


I really enjoy the first 3 Jack Ryan films, the 4th not so much because of Ben Affleck and because it's just too out of sync with the previous trilogy. The first 3 are classic political thrillers that do a great job of bringing Tom Clancy's books to the big screen. His vision and Jack Ryan character are for the most part, executed very well on these films. Many have their preferences as the stronger and better of the bunch but I like Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger individually for their own qualities and suspenseful action.


I've seen all of the Jack Ryan's on HD DVD, and sure enough, the Blu Ray's are exactly the same. Which is too bad because Paramount didn't do a very good job remastering them and they just don't look nearly as good as they should in hi def. I suspect that many Blu Ray owners will be pretty disappointed with the lack of visual pop that they're hoping for. Each of the Jack Ryan's looks better than the one before it which is typical as newer films upgrade easier to high def. And at least they all look better than their standard def counterparts. The problem is, is that most hi def owners have seen older films than these look better than these. Which brings us to wonder, what went wrong here? Granted, these films are a difficult upgrade as most of the scenes take place inside a submarine, house, office, or outside on overcast days, making it more difficult to provide that 3D pop we're looking for. But there are specks and dirt in the transfers and while I didn't find them in abundance or distracting, I do feel it's inexcusable at this point in the Hi Def's life cycle, especially for these movies. There's no reason for them not to be squeaky clean by now, even if they're going to look a little flat. But they are the best transfers available and the best we'll see until they provide us a proper remastering. But one is due.


The audio, well this is finally where these discs pop. And I mean POP!!! We're given some truly thunderous transfers here in Dolby TrueHD. These films sounded good to begin with on standard dvd (especially October) but these new transfers are just incredible. They easily trounce the old ones. The scores, sound effects, gun shots and explosions are absolutely thrilling. This is all moot if you don't have a proper surround system to decode and dish out the TrueHD tracks though. If thats the case, then you may want to consider keeping your standard discs if you have them because the audio is the clear selling point for the upgrade.


Despite my dissatisfaction with the flimsy visual upgrades, I'm still satisfied with these discs. I'd recommend them for any Blu Ray (and home theater) owner looking for a worthy upgrade for their favorite Tom Clancy films. Again, I stress you'll be much more impressed by the HD audio here rather than the passable but not demo worthy HD video. I give this set a 4 out of five because even though difficult, I believe if they really wanted to, Paramount could've and should've given these films a better makeover than they got. The powerful audio will help ease the disappointment with the video. Overall, I still recommend them.