The Sum of all Fears

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Fears</div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="501" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 146 WIDTH="495"><div> <IMG SRC="1258618c0.jpg" border=0 width="97" height="140" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005JL8F/reelmoviecriticc">The Sum of All Fears on DVD</A>  </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> The Sum of all Fears</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>êêê</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 23 WIDTH="575"><div> Rating</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> PG-13 for violence, disaster images and brief strong language</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Director</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Phil Alden Robinson</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>9/11…Our worst fears realized</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="19" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="575" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 WIDTH="575"><div> <B>Starring</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="579" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Ben Affleck</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Morgan Freeman</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> James Cromwell</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="575"><div> Liev Schreiber</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> Terrorists try to manipulate the United States and Russia into a nuclear shooting war. They will then come in and pick up the pieces from the two decimated, former super powers and establish themselves as new, world leaders. </div> <bR> <div> Based upon a Tom Clancy novel, and thus containing a considerable number of "facts," it's hard to think of the story as fiction, which is the film's strongest point. The events of 9/11 force us to think of the unthinkable as thinkable.</div> <bR> <div> As in <I><B>"Pearl Harbor,"</B></I> Ben Affleck finds himself in a military situation,  </div> <div> positioned to be a hero and a lover. Unlike PH, this film is more watchable because it's closer to two hours rather than three, and the love story has moved from bilge to palatable enough to swallow without choking. </div> <bR> <div> Ben Affleck plays Jack Ryan, who works as a historian in a think tank that is a cover for a CIA research team. Jack is an expert on the man who suddenly becomes the President of Russia, Alexander Nemerov (Ciaran Hinds). Some think Nemerov's a hawk who is trigger-happy, though he may be a commander in chief who does not have control over his military. Either makes him a very dangerous man. Bill Cabot (Morgan Freeman) is head of the CIA and becomes Jack's mentor, helping him to develop a relationship with the Russian leader.</div> <bR> <div> In 1973 when Israel was concerned about their ground troops being overrun, they put a nuclear bomb on a plane to be used as a means of last resort. The plane was subsequently shot down. Almost 30 years later, the bomb is discovered and is soon in the hands of an arms dealer. It's sold to a small group of terrorists, and is reconstructed and shipped to Baltimore. The plan is to explode the bomb during the Super Bowl and set off a nuclear war between the US and Russia. </div> <bR> <div> The story is essentially told in two parts. One leads up to the possible explosion and the other details what happens when the issue of "1<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >st</FONT> strike" comes into play. Prior to the possible denotation of a nuclear device on US shores, the film uses the normal set up, taking you around the world to visit various political and military leaders and in addition allowing a peek into their personal lives. While it appears that our world leaders are in control, it gradually becomes clear that a small group of renegades, not in any governmental position, but with their own special agenda, figure prominently in the balance of power, even though they tend to be invisible.</div> <bR> <div> Part two explores what actions the US may take when it has reason to believe that Russia has begun a nuclear attack. The illustration of how quickly the major cities of the world could come to look like Hiroshima says more about the issue of disarmament than anything you've seen in a long time.</div> <bR> <div> Liev Schreiber plays John Clark, a CIA operative who does not mind getting his hands dirty. Clark teams up with Jack to hopefully save the world from annihilation. Even in the face of calamity as the events unfold, some humorous moments occur.</div> <bR> <div> With the world on the brink of disaster, Jack's budding romance with Cathy Muller (Bridget Moynahan), a surgical resident, while cute, becomes a distraction from much more important events. There is great loss of life in the US, which calls for a strong response. One aspect of the movie's ending is outstanding with how scores are settled. </div> <bR> <div> Those of you who are fans of irony will have a special appreciation for seeing the concurrent events of the best in peacemaking and diplomacy, while terrorists learn that when you make a deadly declaration, the severity of the backlash is unpredictable.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="621" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> George O. Singleton  © 2002</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="617"><div> <A HREF="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Reelmoviec@aol.com"><U><U>Reelmoviec@aol.com</U></U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>