The second of Tom Clancy’s “Jack Ryan” yarns to be transferred to the silver screen, and the sequel to Patriot Games, required the services of three of Hollywood’s finest screenwriters to shoe-horn the bulging plot into 141 minutes of pure cinematic joy. Simply put, there isn’t a boring scene in the entire movie.

Amazingly only Oscar nominated for its sound (both soundtrack and effects), Harrison Ford is on top form as he reprises his role as CIA agent Jack Ryan (here promoted to Deputy Director) and is ably supported by Willem Dafoe and Anne Archer.

CIA analyst Jack Ryan drops into the middle of a power struggle in a Colombian drug cartel following a retaliation killing. Appointed acting Deputy Director of Intelligence owing to the terminal illness of Admiral James Greer, Ryan finds it hard to deal with the political machinations at this higher level.

The situation becomes worse when the President is persuaded to engage in covert actions against the cartel, against the wishes of congress. Unknown to Ryan there is a spot of double dealing going on within the cartel as the power plays deepen, and pretty soon it’s left to Ryan to travel to Colombia with old buddy John Clark (Dafoe) to rescue the covert ops boys.

Clear and Present Danger: Film4, Friday 26 October, 9pm

Worth a look:
Wargames: ITV3, Saturday 20 October, 2.40pm
A Shot In The Dark: Film 4, Sunday 21 October, 7pm
Under Siege: Film 4, Tuesday 23 October, 9pm