Clear and Present Danger (1994)

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers (WGA):

Tom Clancy (novel)
Donald Stewart (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 August 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Truth needs a soldier.

Plot:

CIA Analyst Jack Ryan is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Drugs | Jack Ryan | Colombian Drug Cartel | Colombia

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Jack Ryan
Willem Dafoe	...	John Clark
Anne Archer	...	Cathy Muller Ryan
Joaquim de Almeida	...	Col. Felix Cortez
Henry Czerny	...	Robert Ritter
Harris Yulin	...	James Cutter
Donald Moffat	...	President Bennett
Miguel Sandoval	...	Ernesto Escobedo
Benjamin Bratt	...	Captain Ramirez
Raymond Cruz	...	Domingo Chavez
Dean Jones	...	Judge Moore
Thora Birch	...	Sally Ryan
Ann Magnuson	...	Moira Wolfson
Hope Lange	...	Senator Mayo
Tom Tammi	...	FBI Director Emile Jacobs
Tim Grimm	...	FBI Agent Dan Murray
Belita Moreno	...	Jean Fowler
James Earl Jones	...	Adm. James Greer
Jorge Luke	...	Sipo
Jaime Gomez	...	Sgt. Julio Vega
Jared Chandler	...	Radioman
Greg Germann	...	Petey
Ellen Geer	...	Rose
Ted Raimi	...	Satellite Analyst
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Voice-Print Analyst
John Lafayette	...	CIA Analyst Alex Winter
Beau Lotterman	...	CIA Analyst
Rex Linn	...	Washington Detective
Peter Weireter	...	FBI Director's Bodyguard
Victor Palmieri	...	Ambassador Andrew Ferris
Trip Hamilton	...	Secret Service Uniformed Division Officer
Ken Howard	...	Committee Chairman
Alexander Lester	...	John Ryan, Jr.
Reg E. Cathey	...	Sergeant-Major
Clark Gregg	...	Staff Sergeant
Chris Conrad	...	Sniper Sergeant
Vaughn Armstrong	...	Blackhawk Pilot
John Putch	...	Blackhawk Co-Pilot
Colleen Flynn	...	Coast Guard Captain
Reed Diamond	...	Coast Guard Chief
Cam Brainard	...	Coast Guardsman
Brendan Ford	...	Coast Guardsman
Michael Jace	...	Coast Guardsman
Cameron Thor	...	DEA Surveillance Agent
Harley Venton	...	DEA Agent Ralph Williams
Miguel Pérez	...	DEA Agent
Patrick Bauchau	...	Enrique Rojas, Cali Cartel
Juan Carlos Colombo	...	Cortez' Bodyguard
Blanca Guerra	...	Escobedo's Wife
Rufino Echegoyen	...	Escobedo's Driver
Honorato Magaloni	...	Mining Company Manager
Mario Iván Martínez	...	Chemist
Eduardo N.T. Andrade	...	Eduardo
Hector Teller	...	Hector
Alejandro Bracho	...	Fernandez
Robert Arratia	...	Hitman
Eliot Ferrer	...	Colombian Hitman
David J. Negron Jr.	...	Cartel Accountant (as David J. Negron)
Michael A. Mendez	...	Cartel Gunman
Sebastián Silva	...	Cartel Member
Diana Sowle	...	Cartel Maid
Kamala Lopez	...	Venezuelan Telephonist (as Kamala Lopez-Dawson)
Guillermo Ríos	...	Gatehouse Guard
Alejandro De Hoyos	...	Spanish Reporter
Leo Garcia	...	CNN Reporter
Barbara Harrison	...	TV Reporter
Mark Bailey	...	Reporter
Elizabeth Dennehy	...	Reporter
Patricia Belcher	...	INS Officer
Aaron Lustig	...	Dr. Polk
Tom Isbell	...	Restaurant Doctor
Kim Flowers	...	Restaurant Hostess
Claudia Lobo	...	Ritter's Wife
Lynne Marie Stewart	...	Margaret, Greer's Secretary
Al Verdun	...	Ritter's Secretary
Catherine MacNeal	...	Greer's Nurse
Denice Kumagai	...	Nurse
Christine Moore	...	Greer's Widow
Marjorie Lovett	...	President's Secretary
Lee Bear	...	Cutter's Bodyguard
Glenn E. Coats	...	Hotel Clerk
Kevin Cooney	...	CIA Counsel
Lis Kern	...	Horse Trainer (as Elisabeth Kern)
Thomas Luskey	...	Homicide Detective
John Rixey Moore	...	Spock
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Markus Alexander	...	Senator's Aide (uncredited)
Tom Bower	...	Clark's Pilot (uncredited)
Aarón I. Campos	...	Rebeld (uncredited)
Aaron Michael Lacey	...	Marine (uncredited)
Mark Myers	...	CIA op. (uncredited)
Ken Parham	...	Coast Guardsman (uncredited)
R.A. Rondell	...	MC Driver (uncredited)
Jorge Valdés García	...	CIA Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Phillip Noyce

Writing credits (WGA)
Tom Clancy		(novel)
Donald Stewart		(screenplay) and
Steven Zaillian		(screenplay) and
John Milius		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lis Kern	....	associate producer
Mace Neufeld	....	producer
Robert Rehme	....	producer
Ralph S. Singleton	....	co-producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Donald McAlpine		(director of photography) (as Donald M. McAlpine)

Film Editing by
Neil Travis

Casting by
Mindy Marin

Production Design by
Terence Marsh

Art Direction by
William Cruse

Set Decoration by
Jay Hart		(as Jay R. Hart)
Mickey S. Michaels

Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack

Makeup Department
Beatrice De Alba	....	hair stylist
Pat Gerhardt	....	makeup artist
Dennis Glas	....	makeup artist: second unit
Esperanza Gómez	....	hair stylist: Mexico
Kathrine Gordon	....	hair stylist: second unit
Carol Meikle	....	hair stylist
Anne Morgan	....	hair stylist (as Anne Michelle Morgan)
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup artist
Raúl Sarmiento	....	makeup artist: Mexico
John R. Bayless	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Sherri Bramlett	....	key hair stylist: Washington, D.C. (uncredited)
Barbara Lacy	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Edwin 'Itsi' Atkins	....	production manager (as E.C. Itsi Atkins)
Gerardo Barrera	....	unit manager: Mexico
Anna Roth	....	production manager: Mexico

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan B. Curtiss	....	first assistant director
David R. Ellis	....	second unit director
Michael Green	....	first assistant director: second unit
Carlos Hidalgo	....	second assistant director: Mexico
Craig Hosking	....	second unit director: F-18 sequence
Robert Huberman	....	second assistant director (as Robert M. Huberman)
Miguel Lima	....	first assistant director: Mexico second unit
Sean McCarron	....	second assistant director: second unit
Carlos Piñero	....	dga trainee
Scott Andrew Robertson	....	second second assistant director
Joaquin Silva	....	second assistant director: Mexico second unit
Sebastián Silva	....	first assistant director: Mexico

Art Department
Robert Camron	....	set dresser (as Bob Camron)
Jim Husbands	....	set dresser
Fred Livingston	....	construction coordinator: Washington D.C.
Sebastian Milito	....	construction coordinator
David J. Negron Jr.	....	illustrator
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
Hope M. Parrish	....	property master: second unit
Fernando Ramírez	....	art director: Mexico
Michael Saccio	....	assistant property master: Washington D.C.
Thomas Saccio	....	property master: Washington D.C.
John Schacht	....	set dresser
Michael Seirton	....	set decorator: Mexico
Dawn Snyder	....	set designer
Graham Sumner	....	property master: Mexico
Carlos M. Torres	....	property master: Mexico
Robert Woodruff	....	assistant art director
Phillip A. Henry	....	construction gang boss (uncredited)
Richard Kilroy	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Maureen McGuire	....	buyer (uncredited)
Silvija L. Moess	....	scenic stand-by (uncredited)
Moises Pineda	....	production buyer (uncredited)
Chris Vigeant	....	set laborer: reshoot (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Pamela Bentkowski	....	supervising foley editor
Lance Brown	....	sound designer
Linda Coffey	....	boom operator
Richard Corwin	....	dialogue editor
Gloria D'Alessandro	....	dialogue editor
Christine Danelski	....	foley editor
Marc Deschaine	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Michael Herbick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound effects editor
Frank Howard	....	sound effects editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	supervising dialogue editor
Stephen Janisz	....	adr editor
Lance Laurienzo	....	first assistant sound editor
Lee Lemont	....	adr editor
John Leveque	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
James M. McCann	....	cable person
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank A. Montaño	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Nelson	....	sound mixer: second unit
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey R. Payne	....	foley editor (as Jeff Payne)
Alan Perry	....	sound mixer: Washington D.C.
Art Rochester	....	production sound mixer
Carin Rogers	....	dialogue editor
Jeffrey L. Sandler	....	sound effects editor (as Jeff Sandler)
Douglas J. Schulman	....	boom operator
Thomas W. Small	....	assistant sound editor (as Thomas Small)
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
David E. Stone	....	sound effects editor (as David Stone)
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Bill Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound effects editor
Donna Barrett	....	cable person (uncredited)
Corey Coken	....	additional adr recordist (uncredited)
Patrick J. Foley	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Thomas Needell	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Eduardo Soto-Falcón	....	sound production assistant (uncredited)
Mike Szakmeister	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Laurencio Cordero	....	special effects coordinator: Mexico
Phil H. Fravel	....	special effects: Washington D.C. (as Phil Fravel)
Scott Garcia	....	special effects technician
Kelly Kerby	....	special effects technician
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects coordinator
Paul J. Lombardi	....	special effects coordinator (as Paul Lombardi)
Robert L. Olmstead	....	special effects technician
Rudy Perez	....	special effects technician
Scott Thompson	....	special effects technician
Parry Willard	....	special effects technician
Robert G. Willard	....	special effects
Dick Wood	....	special effects technician
Terry Erickson	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Harold Weed	....	model maker (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Carol Ashley	....	digital artist
Carol Ashley	....	technical director: VIFX
Craig Barron	....	director of matte photography: Matte World Digital
Jeffrey Diamond	....	visual effects producer: Kleiser-Walczak (as Jeffrey A. Diamond)
Tim Donahue	....	art director: VIFX
Gus Duron	....	visual effects editor: VIFX
Robert Grasmere	....	visual effects supervisor
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	visual effects: VIFX/Video Image
Richard E. Hollander	....	visual effects: VIFX/Video Image
Jeffrey Kleiser	....	computer animation supervisor: Kleiser-Walczak
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects: VIFX/Video Image
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist supervisor: Matte World Digital
Paul Taglianetti	....	visual effects coordinator
Michael Van Himbergen	....	digital visual effects producer: Kleiser-Walczak
Diana Walczak	....	digital effects supervisor: Kleiser-Walczak
John C. Wash	....	visual effects supervisor: VIFX
Stevan Del George	....	digital modeler: Kleiser Walzcak (uncredited)
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: Matte World (uncredited)
Gian Ganziano	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Rich McKay	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Paul Rivera	....	digital compositor: Matte World (uncredited)
Andy Rosen	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
John Alden	....	stunts
Alejandro Avendano	....	stunts
Julian Bucio	....	stunts
Gustavo Campos	....	stunts
Jorge Luis Corzo	....	stunts
John T. Cypert	....	stunts
Mike De Luna	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Richard M. Ellis	....	stunts (as Richard Ellis)
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Richie Gaona	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Steve Holladay	....	stunts
Henry Kingi	....	stunts
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Rafael Valdez	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator
John Alden	....	stunt double: Mr. Ford (uncredited)
John Escobar	....	stunts (uncredited)
C. Ransom Walrod	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Wilder	....	stunt double: Willem Dafoe (uncredited)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Juan Ayala	....	assistant camera: Mexico second unit
Mike Benson	....	director of photography: second unit (as Michael A. Benson)
Hans Bjerno	....	camera operator: Wescam, second unit
David Blake	....	second assistant camera: Washington D.C.
Bobby Brown	....	first assistant Steadicam
Chuck Brown	....	dolly grip (as Charles D. Brown)
Bobby Burton	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Michael Charbonnet	....	camera technician: Wescam, second unit (as Mike Charbonnet)
Jeffrey Greeley	....	second assistant camera
Kelly Green	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Constantino Jiménez	....	assistant camera: Mexico second unit
Ian Jones	....	Steadicam operator
Michael Krebs	....	first assistant camera: Washington D.C.
Brett Laumann	....	electrical best boy
Thomas Loizeaux	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit
Gerardo Manjarrez	....	assistant camera: Mexico
Steve Mathis	....	chief lighting technician
Patrick McArdle	....	first assistant camera
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip: second unit
Michael Murray	....	assistant chief lighting technician: Washington D.C.
Kate O'Neill	....	film loader
Antonio Riestra	....	film loader: Mexico
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Guillermo Rosas	....	camera operator: Mexico second unit
Douglas Ryan	....	camera operator
Mariana Sánchez de Antuñano	....	assistant camera: Mexico
Stuart Stein	....	second assistant camera: Washington D.C.
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator: second unit
Joseph F. Valentine	....	camera operator: second unit
Ron Vargas	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Ronald L. Vargas)
Patric J. Abaravich	....	assistant chief lighting technician: second unit (uncredited) (uncredited)
Enrique del Rio	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Robin P. Knight	....	key grip (uncredited)
Steven Litecky	....	rigging gaffer: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Matthew Thomas Moles	....	grip (uncredited)
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Tony Rush	....	key video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)
Richard Scarpone	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Rick Strodel	....	grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
Ed Kramer	....	head animator

Casting Department
Claudia Becker	....	casting: Mexico
Jesús Guerrero	....	extras casting coordinator: Mexico
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
John Papsidera	....	casting associate
Kimberly Skyrme	....	extras casting: Washington D.C.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jaime Ortiz	....	costume supervisor: Mexico
Hugo Peña	....	costume supervisor
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor (as Mark A. Peterson)
Gregory B. Peña	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Andrew S. Eisen	....	associate editor
Neil Greenberg	....	assistant editor
John Haggar	....	first assistant editor
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Tim Tommasino	....	associate editor
Ken Terry	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising music editor
Tony Hinnigan	....	musician: panpipes
James Horner	....	conductor
Nathan Kaproff	....	orchestra contractor
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Joe E. Rand	....	music editor
Timothy R. Sexton	....	music supervisor (as Tim Sexton)
Mike Taylor	....	musician: panpipes

Transportation Department
Dick Johnson	....	transportation captain (as Richard Johnson)
Anthony C. Steere	....	transportation captain
James Thornsberry	....	transportation coordinator
Gilbert Young	....	transportation captain: Washington D.C.
Enrique Díaz	....	driver (uncredited)
Ricardo Díaz	....	driver (uncredited)
Carlos Ponce de León	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Jesús Almontes	....	armorer: Mexico
David M. Bernstein	....	set production assistant
Faye Brenner	....	script supervisor
Jared Chandler	....	weapons advisor
Kathy Day	....	assistant: Mr. Neufeld
Cliff Fleming	....	pilot
Yvette Gurza	....	assistant location manager
Craig Hosking	....	aerial coordinator
Craig Hosking	....	director: second unit f-18 sequence
Craig Hosking	....	pilot
Nicole Kolin	....	location manager: mexico
Foongy Lee	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
David B. Leener	....	production associate
Monica Levinson	....	production coordinator: Washington D.C.
Don Levy	....	unit publicist
Harry Lu	....	armorer
Michelle Minyon	....	production assistant
Stuart Neumann	....	location manager
Peter J. Novak	....	location manager
Scott Patterson	....	pilot
Peggy Pridemore	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Debbie Schwab	....	production coordinator
Susan Towner	....	production accountant
Ingrid Urich-Sass	....	script supervisor: second unit
Belinda Uriegas	....	production coordinator: Mexico
Fernando Uriegas	....	production assistant
Dirk Vahle	....	pilot
C. Ransom Walrod	....	boat coordinator
John C. Wash	....	screen graphics supervisor
Kathleen Beall	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Denise Blasor	....	voice-over artist (uncredited)
Daniel Camhi	....	location scout: second unit (uncredited)
Marcus Canty	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Barbara Casner	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Nick Corbett	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jeff Crandell	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
AnaMarie C. Gonzaga	....	first assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Caryn Krooth	....	key production assistant: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Joe Lotito	....	production assistant: second unit (uncredited)
Keith Madden	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Robert Mazaraki	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Marisa Moolick	....	location scout (uncredited)
Angeles Morales	....	location assistant: Mexico (uncredited)
Irina Naydichev	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Brandon Ramos	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Commander Gary Shrout	....	military liaison (uncredited)
Leslie Silvey	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Shane Stanley	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Winn	....	craft service (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mace Neufeld Productions
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Kleiser-Walczak Construction Company (smart bomb sequence)
• Matte World Digital (matte paintings)
• Video Image (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Cine Equipment  cranes and remote heads
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies (as Chapman-L.A.)
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering: Washington D.C.
• Command Performance  catering
• Kleiser-Walczak Construction Company  smart bomb sequence by
• Milan Records  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Nina Saxon Film Design  title design
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Paramount Pictures  digital sound editing
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• SoundStorm  sound effects editing
• Studio Sea  marine coordination
• Video Image  video displays

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some intense action/violence and language.

Runtime:

141 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | Philippines:PG-13 | USA:PG-13 (Certifitcate #32825) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Ireland:15 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

Company:

Mace Neufeld Productions

Trivia:

Excerpts from James Horner's score were taken directly from a piece of music from Aliens (1986), also scored by Horner.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When multiple US Chevy Suburbans are ambushed from a rooftop, a rocket propelled grenade that hits a windshield travels along a visible guide wire.

Quotes:

[Chavez was able to close in on the Sergeant Major by using a cheeseburger wrapper as a decoy]
Sergeant Major: Soldier, how did you get so close to me?
Chavez: Sniper approached the instructor by being a sneaky bastard, Sergeant Major!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: 420 (#7.12)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Bacalo Con Pan

A crackling thriller at its best.

My Take: The best of the Tom Clancy adaptations.

Harrison Ford is Jack Ryan, and you better believe it. CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER is the third adaptation of yet another Tom Clancy bestseller, spawned by the success of the previous Clancy adaptations THE HUNT FOR RED October and PATRIOT GAMES. CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, like the previous films, successfully thrills their audiences with exciting sequences that, also, manages to stay plausible and never too unbelievably silly. CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER may not have succeeded to become a total thrill-ride, but in the end it delivers its political message well. It's a slightly long, but thrilling and exciting Clancy adaptation.

Once again, Ford returns as Jack Ryan, who is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence, when CIA Deputy James Greer (James Earl Jones) is ill with cancer. His first mission: To investigate the death of one of the President's closest friends, who has connections with drug cartels. Ryan, once again, fights for what he believes is the truth, unknown to him that the National Security Adviser (Harris Yulin) has already dispatched mercenary elite troops, led by field operator John Clark (Willem Dafoe), on a covert operation in Columbia.

But even if you don't get involved with the story or haven't read any of Tom Clancy's bestselling techno-thrillers (like myself), you must admit how exciting, edgy and believable this film is. Once more, it's also well-written on the screen and don't get wasted. When the film doesn't stun you with its action sequences devised by director Phillip Noyce and his crew of cinematographers and stunt directors, it involves you in the political situations made real and plausible by the adapted script by Donald Stewart, John Millius and Steven Zallian. Honestly, the sequences that involves Ryan arguing with the President of the United States are just as good to watch as the films more exciting sequences (The memorable ambush sequence and the RAMBO-esquire finale are the first to come to mind).

Even if the film isn't exactly the total "keeps you on the edge of your seat" action thriller, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER delivers its political message as well as thrilling excitement all in the same show.

Rating: ***** out of 5.