This is the second movie based on the Tom Clancy books about the character of C.I.A. analyst Jack Ryan and is a sequel to the classic movie “The Hunt For Red October”. “Patriot Games” is not a bad movie by any means but sadly, it just doesn’t do anything very well and that is its downfall.

In “Patriot Games”, Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark”) is now retired and is living life with his family and while on holiday in London, stops an I.R.A. assassination attempt on Lord Holmes (James Fox “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”). This makes Jack and his family a target for a rogue group of I.R.A. members, who seek vengeance after Jack killed one of them so Jack Ryan must go back into the C.I.A. to stop them.

Harrison Ford is reasonably good as Jack Ryan although he does seem a little too old. I definitely preferred Alec Baldwin in the role. Sean Bean (“GoldenEye”) is mediocre is the bad guy Sean Miller. James Earl Jones (“Star Wars”) is fantastic in this film and Samuel L. Jackson (“Jurassic Park”) is good. The rest of the cast is okay I guess.

From beginning to end “Patriot Games” stays at a neutral level as none of it is particularly good and none of it is particularly bad. This makes it quite a dull film to watch. One of my complaints and maybe it’s the book’s fault is that “The Hunt For Red October” was a war thriller yet this is an action movie and not a very good one at that. If you really like action movies or you love the book then this is not a bad choice but if you’re looking for a well-crafted experience like “The Hunt For Red October” then sadly you’re looking in the wrong place. All-round “Patriot Games” is not worth spending your time watching.