This time around, Morgan Freeman avoids portraying the President in what turns out to be a fairly ordinary political thriller centered on an impending disaster. Instead, he takes on the role of CIA director "Cabot," collaborating with analyst "Jack Ryan" (Ben Affleck) to prevent a plot involving a stolen nuclear explosive aimed at triggering a full-scale war between the United States and Russia. Those orchestrating this scheme are aware that any such event would likely force “Pres. Fowler” (James Cromwell) to retaliate against Russian "Pres. Nemerov" (Ciaran Hinds, who delivers a notably stiff performance), with advisors pushing for an aggressive response. The fallout from the explosion creates additional difficulties for “Ryan” as he attempts to uncover the truth and convey it to those in power before things escalate dramatically. While the narrative functions adequately, the acting quality is noticeably lacking. Freeman performs consistently, as does Cromwell, but Affleck seems somewhat unsuited for his more significant part. He feels a little too inexperienced – no matter how many injuries the makeup team applies – to convincingly portray a character of this intellectual weight, not quite measuring up to actors like Alec Baldwin or even Harrison Ford. There are some acceptable special effects sequences and moments of genuine suspense towards the film's conclusion; however, it drags on while assembling all the necessary elements, and despite offering a rather unsettling depiction of military power’s potential for devastation, the whole thing feels drawn out and uninspired.

Source on TMDB