Clear and Present Danger

Name: Clear and Present Danger
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Released: August 3, 1994
Duration: 141 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe

1994

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 56 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 56 Ratings

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Clear And Present Danger

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: August 3, 1994 | PG-13

Starring: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe

Summary: When his mentor Admiral James Greer (Jones) becomes gravely ill, Jack Ryan (Ford) is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has alreadyWhen his mentor Admiral James Greer (Jones) becomes gravely ill, Jack Ryan (Ford) is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. His first assignment: investigate the murder of one of the President's friends, a prominent U.S. businessman with secret ties to Colombian drug cartels. Unbeknownst to Ryan, the CIA has already dispatched a deadly field operative (Dafoe) to lead a paramilitary force against the Colombian drug lords. Caught in the crossfire, Ryan takes matters into his own hands, risking his career and life for the only cause he still believes in-the truth. (Paramount)… Expand

Director: Phillip Noyce

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 141 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Stanley Kauffmann

The result, except for the stock action climax, is sharp, fast, bitter. [19 September 1994, p. 38]

Terrence Rafferty

The filmmakers haven't simply tamed the rogue elephant of Clancy's narrative; they've turned it into something that moves as gracefully and as powerfully as a gazelle. Read full review

Elvis Mitchell

Another fast, gripping spy story with some good tricks up its sleeve. Read full review

Staff (Not credited)

The storytelling is livelier and more engaging than previous adaptations of Clancy's turgid techno-thrillers. Read full review

Rita Kempley

An absorbing, if overlong adaptation of Tom Clancy's bestseller. Read full review

James Berardinelli

Enjoyable, but it's a shallow enjoyment. Read full review

Mike Clark

True-blue Ford keeps 'Clear' out of danger. [3 August 1994, p.D1]

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User Reviews

geewah

Jan 28, 2021

Probably the pick of the 1990's Jack Ryan franchise.
Perfects the formula that worked so well in the previous instalments.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

alexthegreat

Sep 6, 2013

In my opinion, it's the best, thrilling, and the most anticipated movie of the franchise and most importantly one of my favorite movies of all time so far!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tyranian

Apr 12, 2019

Nice sequel to Patriot Games, CAPD has intriguing plot and good acting. Good stuff.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Voodoo123

Oct 4, 2018

Clear and present danger is a decent clancy thriller yet some greater moments feel hampered by a slightly 'off' pacing issue. The political drama here feels a little weak compared to other ryan outings but all in all its a great addition to the series.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilipeNeto

Jul 27, 2019

We have seen a lot of movies about US government covert operations. This is just one more. The script is not difficult to explain: at sea, the family of a US president's friend is massacred by a Colombian drug cartel, and it turns out that there were interests and business between them.We have seen a lot of movies about US government covert operations. This is just one more. The script is not difficult to explain: at sea, the family of a US president's friend is massacred by a Colombian drug cartel, and it turns out that there were interests and business between them. Realizing the power of the cartels, the US president, backed by the CIA director general, decides to make the phrase "war on drugs" literal by ordering a covert operation that aims to dismantle the cartel. An operation that will be funded directly by the Senate without anyone - not even Jack Ryan, who makes the request for funding - knows that the money will be used to send soldiers to the ground.

The movie is nothing particularly different from many others involving the same ingredients. There is a group of serious men who are really trying to stop that drug cartel without doing anything illegal, and others who will not look at the means, and do not mind sacrificing some innocent lives in the process. There are truly good action scenes, although the movie was not made as an action movie. Personally, I consider the Bogotá ambush and chase scenes one of the best in the movie. The sound, visual and sound effects are those that existed at the time, and they do well as expected. Phillip Noyce did a good job as a director.

As for the actors, we have a good Harrison Ford, convincing and capable in the leading role. Willem Dafoe is equally capable in his role. Henry Czerny, Harris Yulin, and Donald Moffat have all managed to be truly machiavellian, as good career politicians, and made their characters truly obnoxious. Miguel Sandoval did well as Escobedo, but the one who impressed me the most was Joaquim de Almeida. The Portuguese actor, who appears humbly almost halfway through the film, gradually reveals himself and makes his character one of the most important for the outcome of the film. He is an excellent actor, even though his background makes him better known to the Portuguese than to the American public.

Not being a brilliant movie, nor original in its essence, its able to entertain the audience and give us a good story. It has a good and committed cast, fulfilling its purpose and giving us a good final product.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MovieGuys

Mar 18, 2014

Clear and Present Danger is almost as good as Patriot Games, but its downfall is that it moves more slowly and is less intense, so that by the time an action scene happens the tension has died down. Nevertheless, Ford is still great and the movie is still thrilling.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

amheretojudge

Aug 16, 2018

unstable and out-dated mishap of politics..

Cleared And Present Danger 2 And A Half Out Of 5 Clear And Present Danger is a plot driven political thriller about a culmination of all the usual agendas that fuels an act of war, brewing in by the darker forces. Ticking for almost two and aunstable and out-dated mishap of politics..

Cleared And Present Danger

2 And A Half Out Of 5

Clear And Present Danger is a plot driven political thriller about a culmination of all the usual agendas that fuels an act of war, brewing in by the darker forces. Ticking for almost two and a half hours, the overkill sets in early due to its subjective procedure that is not only off-putting but also follows a textbook structure. All the action and chase sequences are nicely shot with amazing sound effects and fine editing amongst all the mind-numbing explosions. The politics and reasonings are justified with no usual flaws which doesn't suggest its excellence but the safe play that it plays. As much as lousy its final act grows the little tactics that used to work in its predecessor fails to upbeat or elevate the momentum as it used to. The writing is overstretched and not elaborative, there is a fine line between them that makers often crosses it unknowingly. The result of such acts can draw a nod out of the audience but fails to impress them. It is short on technical aspects like visual effects, background score and cinematography and neither is its camera work plausible for it to seek attention through it. Ford is bang on his bucks on revisiting his role with amazing supporting cast like Dafoe, Archer and Jones. Noyce; the director has done a decent work on executing the feature but the real culprit is its sloppy script that isn't sincere enough to breed the essential crisp out of the screen. The clean satirical political act and sharp sound effects are the only high points of the feature. Clear And Present Danger is an unstable and out-dated mishap of politics that may be accurately tossed but unfortunately overcooks its outcome.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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