The Sum of All Fears

Release Year: 2002
Review: The Sum of all Fears is a pretty bland action flick, with a predictable plot and nothing that hasn't been done a hundred times before. Given the magnitude of the events that occur in the film there should be a feeling of great tension and overbearing urgency, but it never delivers. Sure, there are some paint by number tricks used to try and build suspense, but that can only bring a film so far. Part of the problem may lie in the acting of the lead role played by Ben Affleck. Normally I am a fan of Affleck, but I never believed his portrayal of Jack Ryan. It seemed as if Affleck was playing a character in one of his other roles and just seemed to stumble onto the wrong set. The film fails to capture the audience and create a feeling of overwhelming chaos and peril and therefore fails to deliver as a great movie given its genre. It is watchable, but not remarkable.
Rating: 3/5