The Sum of All Fears

Name: The Sum of All Fears
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Released: May 31, 2002
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 45
Cast: Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman

2002

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Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 56 Ratings

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6.0

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6.0	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 56 Ratings

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The Sum Of All Fears

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: May 31, 2002 | PG-13

Starring: Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman

Summary: Ben Affleck stars as Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan in this thriller about European neo-Nazi terrorists who acquire a nuclear device that they plan to use at the Super Bowl.

Director: Phil Alden Robinson

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 124 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Director Phil Alden Robinson and his writers, Paul Attanasio and Daniel Pyne, do a spellbinding job of cranking up the tension, they create a portrait of convincing realism, and then they add the other stuff because, well, if anybody ever makes a movie like this without the obligatory Hollywood softeners, audiences might flee the theater in despair. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

A middlebrow hybrid that should satisfy most fans of spy movies without blowing them away. Read full review

Kevin Thomas

Has vast scope, unflagging energy, a rousing Jerry Goldsmith score and a horrendous disaster sequence that conveys much in discreet fashion in keeping with post-Sept. 11 sensibilities yet is needlessly evasive in telling us the precise extent of its magnitude. Read full review

New Times (L.A.) Robert Wilonsky

When Affleck keeps getting work, the terrorists HAVE won. With blank eyes and soft features, he has none of the gravitas of his predecessors, Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford, who saved the world with swagger. Affleck merely looks like a frat boy in over his head, which is perhaps the point.

Carrie Rickey

Fortunately, even when star and story are ineffectual, Fears' supporting players are all thrilling, especially Morgan Freeman. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Feels awfully rushed, as Ryan flies from the Ukraine to Moscow to the Russian hinterlands and back to Baltimore to make sweet, sophomore agent love to his physician girlfriend (Moynahan). It has the feel of one of 007's globe-hopping adventures, but without any of that franchise's giddy sense of fun. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

The last thing we need is entertainment that evokes the horror and then trivializes it with cheesy heroics. Never has a movie taken on a subject of greater immediacy, or handled it more ineptly.

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User Reviews

MadDad

Nov 24, 2011

Great movie heavily underrated. Very thrilling setup until the very last minute. I loved the movie and think critics are very wrong. The nuclear explosion was very frightening. I can highly recommend this movie!

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

JaredB.

Nov 17, 2007

When I heard that a movie was being made based on another of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, I was thrilled. This one concerns a plot by a group of terrorists to plant a nuclear bomb in Baltimore the day of the Super Bowl. While the terrorists come from all different nations, the main When I heard that a movie was being made based on another of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, I was thrilled. This one concerns a plot by a group of terrorists to plant a nuclear bomb in Baltimore the day of the Super Bowl. While the terrorists come from all different nations, the main threat is from Russia. Jack, well played by Ben Affleck knows this, he just has a hard time convincing anyone else, including the President, played to perfection by James Cromwell. Also of note here are performances by Morgan Freeman, Bridget Moynahan, and Ciaran Hinds as the Russian President. The direction, by Phil Alden Robinson, was simply incredible. There are two reasons that, as much as I would like to, I can't give this film a 10. First of all, there are times where the story becomes needlessly complicated. Second, Liev Schreiber, one of my favorite actors, was seriously underused. Other than these two complaints, I loved this film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MovieGuys

Feb 17, 2014

The Sum of All Fears is a pretty good, but not great, Jack Ryan flick. Ben Affleck plays a solid Ryan, and Morgan Freeman is amazing as always. It's worth a watch.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Aproxx

Aug 4, 2018

A mediocre movie. The acting is optimal. The dialogue is optimal. The plot is just good enough. The tension is about seeing other people figuring things out that the movie shows you from the start... You know more than the characters, and that's not super compelling.

Mediocre.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilipeNeto

Mar 23, 2019

The film begins with the death of a moderate Russian president and his replacement by a radical named Nemerov. To know who they are dealing with, the American Government recruits an academic who has just written an article about it. However, there seems to be a drop in the loyalty of RussianThe film begins with the death of a moderate Russian president and his replacement by a radical named Nemerov. To know who they are dealing with, the American Government recruits an academic who has just written an article about it. However, there seems to be a drop in the loyalty of Russian officials and there are personnel willing to provoke a nuclear war between both countries.

The film is a regular thriller based on yet another imminent threat of war between the major world powers. The first part of the film prepares the events, while the rest is the unfolding and worsening of the military crisis, already in a climate of war. For me, the plot worked reasonably, taking some questions of logic and plausibility that seem to me very relevant (such as the fact that the military did not go in search of the nuclear bomb that the plane was carrying when it crashed, or the quiet walks that certain characters give the scenario where, hours before, a devastating nuclear bomb exploded).

The cast is satisfactory to the level of this film: Morgan Freeman is competent, to see Richard Marner again was a pleasant surprise and James Cromwell did his part well. Ben Affleck, in turn, sounds a lot to himself and to dozens of other characters. There are few differences between this character and the one he offered us in "Armageddon".

From the technical point of view, I emphasize the excellent cinematography and the good use of colors, but also the effects of contrast and dark light. There may have been, in part of the film, a change of lens for more diffused luminance when necessary. The special effects and sound effects are also very good, except for the scene where the bomb explodes, because it never seemed realistic enough to be believable.

Overall, it's a medium movie, which is not terribly good or truly inedible. Nice to see, it's not the kind of movie that makes us think.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Aug 16, 2018

accurately titled but unfortunately describes the experience of the audience..

The Sum Of All Fears 2 Out Of 5 The Sum Of All Fears is a plot driven political thriller that explores the same old cold war topic between Russia and America with mundane procedure. Not only is the politicsaccurately titled but unfortunately describes the experience of the audience..

The Sum Of All Fears

2 Out Of 5

The Sum Of All Fears is a plot driven political thriller that explores the same old cold war topic between Russia and America with mundane procedure. Not only is the politics shallow but is deliberately simple in order to breed the sensibility amongst all the hoax which latter fails on levels in here. Addition to that, the stakes never communicates which is its primary con since the feature is fueled and relies upon it entirely. The writing is weak and benign with cheesy sequences that are installed to make it glorifying and instead comes off goofy and questionable. It is also disappointing considering the expectations it brought along with such an amazing cast and a success that the franchise had until now, it can be argued to be considered as the weakest link of it. The characters too aren't three dimensional like its predecessors and also lacks the little tactics that were used in physical sequences. The d.o.p. and cinematography is stunning with amazing visuals and beautiful camera work that makes it appetizing somewhat. The background score, sound effects and editing is on short that itches throughout the course of it. Speaking of which, the runtime too, is exhaustingly long with sloppy writing that is not at all gripping. Robinson; the director, needs better polishing on his execution skills since barely a sequence is shot with conviction in here. Affleck has decently handled such an iconic character with an amazing supporting cast like Freeman, Schreiber and Hall. An eerie perspective and stunning visuals are the only high point of this feature. The Sum Of All Fears is accurately titled but unfortunately describes the experience of the audience and the makers since none of the acts in here breathes craft for someone to explore in it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

geewah

Jan 29, 2022

A cheesy action movie that falls pretty flat and isn't helped by the horribly miscast Affleck as Jack Ryan.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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