JOHN McTIERNAN

Bil’s rating (out of 5):   BBBB.5. 

USA, 1990.  Paramount Pictures, Mace Neufeld Productions, Nina Saxon Film Design.  Screenplay by Larry Ferguson, Donald Stewart, based on the novel by Tom Clancy.  Cinematography by Jan de Bont.  Produced by Mace Neufeld.  Music by Basil Poledouris.  Production Design by Terence Marsh.  Costume Design by James W. Tyson.  Film Editing by Dennis Virkler, John Wright.  

Jack Ryan’s first adventure is a fantastic thriller, expertly directed by John McTiernan and brilliantly scripted from the novel by Tom Clancy. Alec Baldwin (the best actor to play Ryan yet) is a CIA operative who is sure that a Russian submarine heading for American waters isn’t in any way hostile. The Americans are getting ready for a hotter-than-cold war to start, while Ryan is convinced that the captain of the Russian submarine (Sean Connery) is trying to defect. The game of mistaken intentions and underwater cat-and-mouse is one of the most entertaining experiences you’ll have in front of a movie screen. The film launched a Jack Ryan franchise, all based on Clancy’s novels, with this still the best of them.

Academy Award:  Best Sound Effects Editing
Nominations: Best Film Editing; Best Sound