Patriot Games

Details

Whilst attending a naval history conference in London with his wife and daughter, former CIA analyst Jack Ryan unexpectedly finds himself caught up in an assassination attempt on a member of the British Royal Family. Acting purely on instinct, Ryan intervenes and manages to prevent the attack, killing one of the terrorists in the process but suffering serious injuries himself. Overnight he becomes an international hero, although the publicity also paints a target firmly on his back.

The surviving terrorist, Sean Miller, is captured and sentenced to a lengthy prison term. However, consumed by revenge over the death of his younger brother, he vows that Ryan and his family will pay for what happened in London. Confident that Miller is safely behind bars, Ryan returns to America hoping to put the whole incident behind him and resume a normal family life. Unfortunately, Miller's fellow terrorists have other ideas.

Following a daring attack on the prison convoy transporting Miller, he escapes custody and travels to the United States with vengeance as his only objective. As the attacks on Ryan and his family become increasingly personal and violent, Ryan reluctantly returns to work alongside the CIA in an effort to stop Miller before anyone else is killed. What follows is an engrossing game of cat and mouse as both men become locked in a battle that neither is prepared to lose.

Picture & Sound

Although the picture is bright and colourful with a respectable bit-rate throughout, the transfer is something of a disappointment. Dust specks, grain and other signs of print wear appear far more frequently than they should for a release from a major studio, suggesting that Paramount have once again taken the easy route with one of their catalogue titles. It's certainly watchable, but the film deserved a far more sympathetic restoration than this rather average effort.

The soundtrack is a completely different story. Dialogue remains crystal clear throughout despite the occasional questionable Irish accent, whilst the surround channels are used to excellent effect. The atmospheric use of thunder during the climactic assault on the Ryan household is particularly impressive and does an excellent job of building tension. Combined with James Horner's powerful score and some weighty LFE effects during the action scenes, this is an involving soundtrack that easily outclasses the video presentation.

Menu & Extras

There really isn't a great deal to say about the menus or extras because, quite frankly, there aren't any. The menus are functional enough, but apart from the original theatrical trailer the disc is completely devoid of bonus material. For a film based on one of Tom Clancy's best-known novels, and one that proved instrumental in establishing Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, it's a rather poor effort. A commentary, making-of documentary or even a retrospective featurette would have added enormously to the package.

Overall

Patriot Games remains one of the strongest Jack Ryan adaptations brought to the screen. Unlike many modern action thrillers that rely almost entirely on spectacular explosions, this is a film that gradually builds tension through believable characters and a genuinely menacing villain. Sean Bean makes an excellent adversary, bringing just the right mixture of intelligence, determination and barely controlled rage to the role, whilst Harrison Ford effortlessly convinces as the reluctant hero forced back into a dangerous world he thought he'd left behind.

The supporting cast is equally impressive. James Earl Jones once again brings authority to Admiral Greer, Samuel L. Jackson makes an early appearance in a role that would become much larger in later Ryan stories, and Anne Archer provides far more than the stereotypical action hero's wife. The result is a thriller that balances its action with enough character development to make you genuinely care about the Ryan family when events begin spiralling out of control.

Sadly, Paramount have once again failed to do justice to one of their better catalogue titles. Whilst the soundtrack is excellent, the picture quality is merely average and the complete lack of meaningful extras is extremely disappointing. It almost feels as though the studio simply transferred the film onto DVD, added a trailer and called it a day.

Fortunately, the quality of the film itself shines through the disappointing presentation. Tightly directed, well acted and packed with suspense rather than mindless action, Patriot Games remains one of the better political thrillers of the 1990s and an excellent entry in the Jack Ryan series. Here's hoping it eventually receives the fully restored special edition that both the film and its fans richly deserve.

Special features

• Original Theatrical Trailer