My Movie Review on Patriot Games (Plus, a Bonus) · 6:19pm Nov 7th, 2022
Greetings and salutations, my friends.
This is your friendly film, TV show, and episode reporter here with another review.
Today, for the first installment of this year's "Thanksgiving Treat", and for my 280th film analysis, I'm gonna give you guys my 4th take on an installment of the Jack Ryan franchise by reviewing "Patriot Games".
Considering the fact that this movie is a very-near faithful adaption of Tom Clancy's book of the same name, I hardly think that a summary for this movie is necessary. But, in terms of regular characters, the film stars Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan and Anne Archer as Cathy, as well as James Earl Jones reprising the role of Admiral James Greer.
When I was working on my reviews of the Jack Ryan film series, I knew that I wanted to save the ones starring Harrison Ford for last. Not only was Ford the only actor to star as Jack Ryan for more than one film, but all two of the ones he starred in were directed by Phillip Noyce! So, both "Patriot Games" and "Clear and Present Danger" were definitely quite special in those regards.
The first time I saw "Patriot Games", which must've been quite a lone time ago, I wasn't exactly sure about the movie. When I saw the movie for the second time recently, though...I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY IT!
The one thing I will admit is that there was a sex scene between the character of Annette and some guy that I found to be unnecessary. I mean, I did do some research on the matter and found out that the guy with Annette was sent by the IRA to kill her due to being part of Kevin O'Donnell's radical group, but still...everything about that moment was questionable. If they really wanted to show Annette evading the attempt, the film team should've come up with something else.
Other than this notable nitpick, though, "Patriot Games" is what I'd like to call one of the Jack Ryan series's best movies. And one of the few R-rated films that I actually enjoyed.
For instance, the direction by Phillip Royce, and the screenplay by W. Peter Iliff, were fantastic!
Admittedly, I haven't read the actual book by Tom Clancy himself, although I have been aware of his criticisms towards the movie. His most notable being that he believed the movie deviated too much from its source material. After I researched what the book's overall plot was, though, I honestly found myself unable to understand why Clancy disliked the movie.
Aside from some slight differences, the film itself is actually quite faithful to the book's story. As a matter of fact, the differences the screenwriters incorporated were able to give this film adaption a greater sense of strength and resolve that Clancy himself likely didn't think of giving his book. A prime example comes from the incorporation of Sean Miller's brother, Patrick (Paddy or Paddy Boy, nickname-wise). Patrick wasn't a part of Clancy's book, and in the book, the only reason Miller wanted revenge on Ryan was because of him interfering with the kidnapping attempt (which is what I learned from some comparison notes I found). But, Patrick's incorporation and death at the hands of Jack Ryan gave Sean Miller's hatred for the latter a greater foundation, and it helped his desires for revenge be more personal.
Likewise, the film was incredibly well-done in other aspects.
Just like when he helmed Angelina Jolie's "Salt", Phillip Noyce really knocked the ball out of the park with his directing! The action sequences were exhilarating, the thrills put me on the edge of my seat, and the dramatic and emotional moments were soul-tugging beyond compare. He also helped the story be engaging and easy to follow, and I was hooked with interest until the end credits came.
On top of this, the acting, characters, and character development were spectacular.
In my opinion, Harrison Ford was the best of the performers who played Jack Ryan himself. Everything about Ford's portrayal carried a greater sense of depth and humanity that made the character instantly engaging, and no matter what scene he was in, I was instantly grappled by his presence. Plus, Jack Ryan had phenomenal development throughout the film, and his personality and moral stances made the character all-the-more likable.
Sean Bean was outstanding in the role of Sean Miller, if I may add.
At first glance, Miller doesn't seem like much in the ways of a villain, but when his brother is killed...he grew to become the very best antagonist in the Jack Ryan series! His anger and desires to kill Ryan out of revenge made him an intimidating force to be reckoned with, and his development throughout the movie was so constant that one could say he was multidimensional. Sean Bean gave one of the greatest performances I've ever seen in a villain role, and the way he translated Miller's emotions, growth, and desires was remarkable.
The rest of the supporting cast members and characters were terrific as well.
James Earl Jones may not have had as much screen-time as many of the other cast members, but his reprisal as James Greer was grappling, and he delivered with a performance that felt like a dynamic improvement over his portrayal in "The Hunt for Red October". I also noted a similar situation with Samuel L. Jackson, in that while he wasn't featured as much, he still gave a fantastic performance as Lt. Commander Robby Jackson.
To top it all off, Thora Birch was wonderful in the role of Sally Ryan. Along with incorporating pure innocence into her character, she stole the show with her witty and humorous timings, which helped perfectly lighten the overall mood of the story. Anne Archer also gave a phenomenal performance as Cathy, and her character's personality, warmth, and development throughout the movie were marvelous.
In conclusion, minus that one scene I noted at the beginning, "Patriot Games" is truly one of the best R-rated movies I've ever watched. It showcased talent at its finest, had a great sense of fun and excitement, everything!
So, I rate "Patriot Games" 4½ out of 5 stars.
Before I conclude this post, I'd like to share with you all another original art piece I made a while back:
Originally, I intended on making an art piece of the Earth and moon, but I later realized that I couldn't make any of the continents myself. So, I ultimately kept the moon the same while changing the Earth to an original multicolored planet.
So, what do you guys think? Of this review? And this painting?
