Patriot Games : Blu-ray Review

The Movie Itself is directed by Philip Noyce.

Eschewing the epic, politico-action narrative, Patriot Games — the sequel to The Hunt for Red October — favors the personal and intimate side of the hero, Jack Ryan. In a word, the film is about vengeance. We’re introduced to a far older and more experienced Jack Ryan — one that’s since left the CIA. As luck would have it Jack finds himself walking directly into an assassination attempt on the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the hands of a radical arm of the Provisional IRA. Naturally, the good-ole-boy that he is, Jack snaps into hero mode and manages to foil the attempt. Unfortunately for Jack and his family, one of the assassins lost his younger brother in the firefight, and he’s none-too-keen on letting Jack live his life in peace. It is this vendetta that provides the backbone for the film, and it does so, quite well.

Patriot Games has long since been my favorite of the Jack Ryan films. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that it was the first one I saw. Then again, it could be that it is one of the more exciting films in the bunch because of the tense vengeful core. Or, maybe it’s because it feels the most visceral and edgy because it is the sole Jack Ryan film to bear the “R” rating. Whatever the reason, I simply love this film. It isn’t without flaws but it is one of the most entertaining films in the collection, alongside The Hunt for Red October.

While McTiernan expertly crafted the action in The Hunt for Red October, Noyce allows the story to revolve and fully envelop Jack Ryan. As a result, the viewer is treated to a far more comprehensive understanding of Clancy’s every-man hero. Compared with The Hunt for Red October, Jack Ryan is no longer a mere narrative device. Through Noyce’s careful direction and Harrison’s performance, Jack Ryan takes on an entirely new level of realism. He’s completely human, heroic, moral, and badass. Of course, the vengeful currents that course throughout the film are universal, and that is yet another reason why the film succeeds on many levels. We all care for our families, and we all seek to defend them from danger, regardless of the form. Here, it just so happens that Ryan’s moral fortitude leads him to trade the life of one man for another — an undeniably gray area — and in effect jeopardize the lives of his wife, daughter and himself. It’s a tricky predicament, no doubt, and the ensuing drama makes for one of the best revenge flicks of recent memory.