Clear and Present Danger is a 1994 American action thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce and based on Tom Clancy's 1989 novel of the same name. It is the third film in the Jack Ryan film series, following The Hunt for Red October (1990) and Patriot Games (1992), and is the last film adaptation of Clancy's novels to feature Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan and James Earl Jones as Vice Admiral James Greer.
Production details
The screenplay was written by John Milius, Donald E. Stewart, and Steven Zaillian. The film was produced by Mace Neufeld and Robert Rehme, with cinematography by Donald McAlpine, editing by Neil Travis, and a musical score composed by James Horner. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures and released in the United States on August 5, 1994. The film runs 141 minutes and was produced on a budget of approximately $62 million.
Plot summary
The story follows CIA analyst Jack Ryan, who is appointed acting Deputy Director of Intelligence when Admiral James Greer undergoes treatment for pancreatic cancer. Ryan investigates the murder of American businessman Peter Hardin, who was laundering money for the Colombian Cali Cartel. Unbeknownst to Ryan, President Bennett and National Security Advisor James Cutter have authorized covert military operations in Colombia to destroy the cartel, using funds that Ryan secured from Congress under the assurance that there was no U.S. military involvement. When CIA operative John Clark's special forces team (RECIPROCITY) is betrayed and stranded in the jungle, Ryan uncovers the conspiracy and ultimately testifies before the House Oversight Committee rather than participate in a cover-up.
Cast
The principal cast includes Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan, Willem Dafoe as John Clark, James Earl Jones as Admiral James Greer, Anne Archer as Cathy Ryan, Joaquim de Almeida as Félix Cortez, Henry Czerny as Robert Ritter, Harris Yulin as James Cutter, Donald Moffat as President Edward Bennett, Miguel Sandoval as Ernesto Escobedo, Benjamin Bratt as Captain Ramírez, and Raymond Cruz as Domingo Chavez.
Production background
The film was shot in Mexico after the studio determined that filming on location in Colombia was too dangerous, with Mexico City standing in for Bogotá. Production encountered difficulties including the outbreak of the Chiapas conflict and the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which destroyed part of the footage shot in the United States. The Pentagon raised objections to the script's negative portrayals of the U.S. President, the National Security Advisor, and U.S. military forces conducting covert operations, and the script was rewritten to secure approval for the use of military equipment.
Reception
The film received generally positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 81% based on 47 critic reviews, and Metacritic assigns a weighted average score of 74 out of 100. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A." The film grossed approximately $122 million in the United States and about $94 million internationally, for a worldwide total of roughly $216 million. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing, both of which were won by Speed (1994).
