Is there some written rule that all summer movies have to disapppoint? The only thing this film really has going for it is a morbid curiosity involving a nuclear blast on American soil. In the wake of September 11, I can certainly appreciate that. In New York City, I can certainly appreciate that. But when that morbid curiosity is all the suspense that the film has going for it, then I have to vote thumbs down on the film. Understand, I went to this film really wanting to like it. But the nuclear blast happens about half way through the film, and after, there is absolutely no suspense. YOU know that Jack Ryan is ultimately going to save the world. So, what does this film have? Well, first of all, we have Morgan Freeman turning in yet another faxed in performance, which, by this time, is to be expected (Do I really need to keep paying him to do the same thing over, and over, and over, and over, and over again? One is hard pressed to remember the days of DRIVING MISS DAISY, GLORY, and LEAN ON ME ... when he actually acted!). I dare say he has not done one even remotely interesting performance since SEVEN. Next, we have Liev Schreiber - stepping in for Willem DaFoe who originally played the same part in the vastly superior CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER. Mr. Schreiber, however, seems to be playing a character - not a viewpoint like the rest of the cast. Then we have the rest of the cast - a who's who of top notch character actors. We have Bruce McGill, Ron Rifkin, and James Cromwell. All they get to do is present various (sometimes utterly inane) viewpoints as the President and his cabinet. Does anyone really care about them? No, unless you want their scenes cut to shorten your time in the theater. And finally, in a role originated by Alec Baldwin and fleshed out by Harrison Ford, we have Ben Affleck. Ben is an affable guy. I usually like him. But do I really need HIM to tell me how dire a situation a nuclear bomb in downtown Baltimore is? No, and neither does any member of the audience. Lastly, the plot. Well, I'm not going to spoil it for you, but the any sentence in this review is longer than a sentence needed to explain this particular plot. And as said above, once the bomb goes off, there is no suspense, and no reason to stay in the theater. A three year old can figure out how this plot is going to unflod having seen only the first five minutes of the film. My advice? Stay away. This film is more lethal than Ground Zero!
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