Patriot Games

This Tom Clancy/Harrison Ford action’r from 1992 is a great example of the military/espionage/real worldish thriller genre done well, taking the well-detailed book and whittling it down to something easily digestible. Harrison Ford is very serviceable as the replacement for Alec Baldwin as ‘Jack Ryan’ in this story of his violent interference in the attempted attack on a member of The Royal Family by a militant and rebellious faction of the IRA, and the nasty repercussions on him and those he cares for. Pretty much a solid thriller all round with a fantastically appropriate musical score and some excellent pacing. There’s even a few moments of effective, yet commercial political subversion. If it’s been a while, this one deserves another look. And if you’ve never seen it…give it a shot. Odds are…you’ll dig it. March 16 at 10:38pm