It’s obvious Alec Baldwin was drained following his 1990 submarine incident, so Harrison Ford stepped in as "Jack Ryan," portraying a former CIA agent enjoying a family vacation in the UK. The opening credits barely finish before he finds himself caught up in an IRA plot to abduct "Lord Holmes" (James Fox), who is related to the Queen Mother. While trying to stop them, he kills one of the attackers, inadvertently tar…

The heroes come across as genuinely heroic, and those on the wrong side are clearly villains. Patriot Games functions well as a thriller, though it might feel slightly dated when watched today; it remains a powerful depiction of good versus evil. The original story is so complex that adapting it into a two-hour film was always going to be challenging, but I think those involved did a commendable job of maintain…