The Sum of All Fears (2002)
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A CIA analyst must race against time to prevent a nuclear war after a mysterious explosion in Baltimore.
The story
In 2002, a plot to spark a nuclear war between the United States and Russia is set in motion by a neo-Nazi group. The conspiracy involves a nuclear device and a rogue Russian officer's attack on an American aircraft carrier. CIA analyst Jack Ryan is thrust into the center of the crisis, tasked with navigating the escalating tensions and identifying the true perpetrators behind the threat. As the situation spirals out of control, Ryan must work against the clock to uncover the truth and prevent a catastrophic global conflict.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The plot begins in 1973 with a nuclear bomb from the Yom Kippur War, which is recovered in 2002 by a Syrian scrap collector and sold to a neo-Nazi group led by Richard Dressler. Their goal is to provoke a war between the U.S. and Russia to establish a fascist Europe. CIA analyst Jack Ryan accompanies Director William Cabot to Moscow to inspect a nuclear facility, where they notice missing scientists. These scientists are later found in Ukraine. A crate from that facility is sent to Baltimore, where it detonates, injuring Cabot and destroying much of the city. A rogue Russian general, paid by Dressler, then attacks a U.S. aircraft carrier. The U.S. believes Russia is responsible and prepares a nuclear strike. Ryan discovers the bomb's signature is American, exonerating Russia. He manages to contact the Russian President, Nemerov, to reveal Dressler's involvement. Both nations stand down. The conspirators are eliminated, and the leaders announce new measures against nuclear proliferation.
- First release year
- 2002
- Runtime (minutes)
- 124
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Phil Alden Robinson
- Writers
- Paul Attanasio · screenplay; Daniel Pyne · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Ben Affleck · Jack Ryan; Morgan Freeman · William Cabot; Alan Bates · Richard Dressler
- Genres
- spy thriller; action thriller
- Themes
- nuclear war; terrorism; espionage
- Tone and mood
- tense; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- political thriller; action; reboot
- Source material / true-story basis
- Tom Clancy's 1991 novel of the same name
- Franchise connections
- Jack Ryan
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a financial success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 5.90 · scale: 10 · review count: 176; Metacritic · score: 45 · scale: 100 · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Visual Effects Society Award · Best Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was a reboot of the Jack Ryan series featuring a younger character.; The terrorists were changed from Arab nationalists in the book to neo-Nazis in the film.; The film was delayed from a 2001 release to 2002 due to the September 11 attacks.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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