The National Daily World Enquiring Globe

Film Review - Sum of All Fears, The

Oh my God! What a horrible train wreck of a movie.

You know I'm a fan of Tom Clancy, but ever since the cold war ended, he's been sliding. Now, in a last gasp for money he's turned Jack Ryan's chromosomes back a few decades. It's the 21st century and Jack all of a sudden is very young, and hasn't been married yet, and has only been with the CIA 14 months. Hmmm. Sounds like a Star Trek plot. ("What happened, Scotty?" "I don't know, sir. I had my hands in the anti-matter and boom!"

This means now Clancy says that Jack Ryan didn't fight the Cold War, didn't hunt for Red October, nor did he meet the Cardinal of the Kremlin. I don't get it. This makes no sense. This film could have been set in the late 1970's or early 1980's and been just fine.

So the lame story is an Arab has found a long lost Israeli Nuke. (Like the Israelis wouldn't have gone looking for it.) He sells the bomb, (not knowing what it is) to a Nazi mercenary who just happens to be looking for a nuke of his own. The bomb is sent to Russia for a tune up and then shipped to Baltimore to be used. Young Jack Ryan must convince the President of the United States that the Russians didn't blast Maryland.

This is the tired old scenario where the young guy knows more than everyone else. Add to this dog of a story, the sub-plots that go nowhere, and the horribly wrong military details (a aircraft carrier battle group at DefCon 2 which is taken by surprise (you know they could have launched a Hankeye and some TomCats.)) This is a third rate attempt at the techno-thriller. You're far better off watching The Hunt For Red October or Crimson Tide, the later has a real chance of scaring the hell out of you.

The Sum of All Fears is a waste of your time and money.

Dust Bag Full

Film Facts

Directed by Phil Alden Robinson

Released in 2002

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Reviewed by Mongo