"I'm sorry, Mr. President, I don't dance."

Often when I scan my DVD collection, looking for something to watch, I already know what kind of movie I feel like seeing. Whether it’s something loud and exciting or something musical or something simple and fun I’ve usually made up my mind about which movies I’m going to choose from and which movies are ‘off the list’. Sometimes, however, I’ll come across a movie in my collection that seems to jump off the shelf and say “watch me”; something I didn’t expect to be interested in that day. That was the case with Clear and Present Danger this past weekend. I didn’t think I was in the mood for that kind of drama/action flick, but Jack Ryan managed to convince me that he was worth watching again. Jack usually has pretty good hunches about that sort of thing.

Third in the Jack Ryan series (though 4th chronologically), Clear and Present Danger is a political/spy/military drama in which the President of the United States has unofficially declared war on the drug cartels of Columbia, South America. While Jack is filling in for his mentor as acting director of operations at the CIA he learns of the illegal covert operation and takes steps to uncover the truth and save the soldiers involved.

"Watch your back, Jack."

Like all Tom Clancy flicks Clear and Present Danger is more politically charged than anything else, yet manages to maintain an exciting pace. Harrison Ford plays the altruistic Jack Ryan with the same passion and intelligence as in the prior film, Patriot Games. James Earl Jones also reprises his role as Jim Greer, Jack’s mentor and friend. It is apparent that these characters have developed a depth and realism that comes from dozens of novels and two previous films; their relationships are believable and their actions are logical. However, this is very much a different Jack Ryan than Alec Baldwin’s performance in The Hunt for Red October. It’s hard for me to decide which actor I prefer in this role; both do a great job of bringing an exciting character to life.

Even if you’re not a fan of Tom Clancy’s novels, Clear and Present Danger is a highly entertaining film. The story is compelling because it doesn’t stray too far from the truth. We become witnesses to events and plans that could very well take place in this day and age, and may already have. Tom Clancy knows how to tell a great story while still making a comment about the political/military might of the United States and the motives behind them. By the time we get to the scene where Ryan confronts the president in the Oval Office the tension is incredible, and believable. Harrison Ford really shines in these moments. I’m convinced that the greatest roles of Ford’s career will remain Han Solo, Indiana Jones and Jack Ryan.

"I didn't sign up for this."

The Special Edition DVD is a pleasing presentation of this fantastic film. The 1.85:1 Anamorphic widescreen picture filled my screen and the picture quality contained no problems that I noticed. The contrast and colors are perfect in every scene, whether it’s the brightly lit offices of the CIA or the shadows of the Columbian rain forest. A DTS sound track is also included and does its job in enveloping you in Jack Ryan’s situations, ranging from helicopters to gunfights. I must say the DVD presentation of Clear and Present Danger is impressive; especially considering the movie is now 12 years old.

Special features include some new cast and crew interviews and a theatrical trailer of the film. Nothing too exciting here but fortunately the price of the DVD and the fantastic audio/visual quality more than make up for a slight lack of bonus material. It’s possible that a HD-DVD or Blu-Ray version of the film will contain more footage and features but until that horrible format war is over this Special Edition DVD will do the trick.

"How dare YOU, sir!"

If you’re a fan of Tom Clancy’s novels, or a fan of spy dramas, or even just a fan of Harrison Ford you really can’t go wrong with Clear and Present Danger. I would highly recommend watching The Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games first. That being said, Clear and Present Danger does manage to hold its own quite nicely.

Clear and Present Danger gets 8 bags of Lindo coffee (out of 10).
Click here for ‘Clear and Present Danger’ trivia. Then report your findings to the Senate Committee on CIA Operations.