The Sum of All Fears

The film begins with a sequence inspired by the novel's prologue set during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, in which a single Israeli A-4 jet carrying a nuclear weapon is shot down over the Syrian desert. The bomb, over time, is consumed by the sand and disappears.

The film narrative then shifts forward 29 years and inside a secret government bunker in Mount Weather, Virginia, where President J. Robert Fowler (James Cromwell) and some of his senior national security advisors, including Central Intelligence Agency Director William Cabot (Morgan Freeman), are conducting a top-secret wargame, simulating a Russian nuclear attack against the United States.

In 2002, the bomb is found in Syria by a couple of scrap dealers and unwittingly sold to an arms dealer named Olson (Colm Feore), who in turn sells it to an Austrian neo-Nazi named Richard Dressler (Alan Bates) for 50 million dollars on the black market.

Great movie - but quite different from the book

A great thriller. Even though I'd read the book years ago, this kept me on the edge of my seat -- the two hours flies by given the tight, intense plot.

Of course, like all the Jack Ryan stories, the "one man saves the world" plot is kind of over the top! Yet, if you take that in stride, it's a superbly acted film. Morgan Freeman is fantastic, and Ben Affleck makes a very good "young" Ryan -- though the story would be much more believable had Ryan been older, as he was in the original novel.

Those who haven't read the book may enjoy the movie more than those who have, because this film is significantly different from the original novel. There are at least 3 major plot changes -- the worst being a total displacement of the series' chronology. This becomes a PREQUEL to the other Ryan stories / films, while the original novel has this as a SEQUEL to movies like Hunt for Red October, Clear & Present Danger, etc. And at times that left me pretty confused. I still enjoyed the film, but the changes were somewhat frustrating.

Overall, I'm glad to have added this to my collection. The movie is well done. It's just not a very faithful adaptation of the book.

Fear Not

I like this movie because it is a good action and suspense. I like Morgan Freeman anyways but he just makes this movie to me. It is a good cold war type movie and makes you think about what the government doesn't tell us. I had to buy it to complement Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games.

The Sum of All Fears (DVD, 2002)

During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, an Israeli A-4 Skyhawk carrying a nuclear weapon is shot down over the Syrian desert. The bomb, over time, is consumed by the sand and disappears.

When an Arab finds an old unexploded bomb buried in the Saini 29 years later, he sells it to a South African arm merchant. Told that it was a "dud", and worthless, the arms merchant gives him $400 for it in honor of his son who died fighting Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

The internet advertisement was for a "Fission Bomb" circa 1970's; Price $100Million. The buyers are ex-Nazi's and their generations still intent on fighting the war. Their plan is to pit the U.S. and Russia against each other in a war by detonating an A-Bomb on U.S. soil and blaming it on the Russians.

With the death of the seriously overweight Russian Premiere, and installation of Alexander Nemerov, as the new Premier, Dr. Jack Ryan (CIA) is called in to advise the CIA Director William Cabot (Morgan Freeman) on Nemerov. Ryan had previously done the profile on him and was the foremost authority on the man in the CIA. He is amorously connected to Dr. Catherine Muller, who thinks that he works for a Washington think tank. Now thrust into a new role of importance, Ryan accompanies Cabot to Russia to meet Nimerov and view the progress of Russia's programs to scrap thousands of nuclear weapons under the U.S./Russian S.T.A.R.T. treaty. Several key scientists are missing and it is troubling to Cabot, because if the Russians were up to something sneaky, these are just the men to secretly build a weapon and deliver it to another country. They would have no bombs unaccounted for, and couldn't be held responsible.

Without any warning, an apparent deadly Russian gas-warfare attack kills and seriously injures thousands of people in Grozny. Chechen is one of the former Soviet satellite countries, and is making trouble for Russia who still insists on ruling them. Nimerov has no knowledge of this attack but rather than be accused of not being in control of his military forces, defiantly declares Russian responsibility.

The Nazi's now had a bomb being built into a cigarette machine, and being delivered to Baltimore, Md. They were going after the President of the USA, who was to attend a football game at Raven's stadium. Ryan gets the word of the shipping point and was able able to contact Cabot with the information about this plan just minutes before the blast. Cabot and the President and security party were just barely able to escape the stadium, but weren't completely clear of the blast area. Hundreds of thousands were killed, including Cabot. The President survived and is taken to Air Force One where he readies the American response. Another Russian attack, by the same rogur general, is made on a U.S. aircraft carrier killing hundreds. Now Ryan has to find out where the bomb came from, and try to prevent WWIII, by convincing the President and everyone else that Nimerov and Russia, aren't behind these attacks.

This was an extremely well developed script with great acting and a terrific story line. I enjoyed it and I'm sure that you will too.

Whos' Sum

A bit overdone, sometimes jerky script,as when nuclear device detonates & Afflects' Dr/girlfriend is blown backwards from imploding glass window & later has no injuries. Though good action,good special effects & for me Morgan Freeman & Ben Afflect make a good team on screen.