With Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan landing on Amazon with John Krasinski tackling the iconic analyst turned talented spook, it is a welcomed surprise that Paramount has released all five of the Jack Ryan films on a 4K collection that is a must-own for fans of the series and even 4K enthusiasts in general.
Each actor that played the soul in the leap from the pages of Clancy’s books to the silver screen brought their own panache to the part. Everyone has their favorite, with most probably saying that Harrison Ford’s take in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger is the “best.” Ben Affleck, Chris Pine and Alec Baldwin each had their command of the part and it could be argued that each did what was required, given the storyline and geopolitical landscape of the time it took place.
In 1990, Baldwin and Sean Connery made quite a one-two punch in The Hunt for Red October. It was the final years of the Cold War—even if audiences didn’t know it yet—and as such the film has special resonance that the other films could not achieve. Sure, it’s nice to see Ryan go after the drug cartels of South America, but one cannot compete with the cost (full-blown nuclear war) that was at the heart of that first flick.
The 4K upgrade is especially stunning with the first film in the series, due to the “darkness” of many of the scenes—filming on a submarine has its challenges, particularly in 1990. The movie literally pops visually, and would you believe that it amps up the tension, what with being able to clearly notice the minutest of actor’s facial gestures that was more muddied on screen in even in the Blu-Ray release.
Overall, the first three films of the series, their visual upgrade is… well, searingly stunning. Sadly, the audio is the same as the Blu-Ray—which is not bad, but the sonic attention was not paid to the movies as much as the visual itself. One could argue, this is a photographic medium and as such, it is easy to give the lack of an audio upgrade a pass since the visuals are so extraordinary.
Specifically, the most notable difference is with Patriot Games. The Blu-Ray was never given much love aesthetically and it is not necessarily noticeable until you see the 4K upgrade. It is the most triumphant of all the visual upgrades. Given the subject matter of Patriot Games, the lightening of the palette only heightens the drama and the suspense. See, it is not something you notice when watching the Blu-Ray of Patriot Games, but once you witness the film in 4K, it is literally night and day. The colors, specifically, are richer and more vibrant, and makes the entire cinematic experience completely revolutionary.
My personal favorite Jack Ryan movie, Clear and Present Danger, finds Ford’s Ryan tackling the drug cartels. Like Patriot Games, the Blu-Ray failed the film in its transfer from film to DVD and then to Blu-Ray. That absence of visual love is more than rectified in this 4K collection. One scene that is particularly explosive—literally—is the moment in the film where Ryan is in Central America and he realizes that his convoy of American vehicles is about to come under attack. Watching it in 4K, it is like a fog has been lifted that one never knew was even there in the first place. That moment, right there, should be the poster child for why people are so excited about the glorious and gorgeous world of 4K.
Remember when it was announced that Affleck had been cast as Batman in the DCU? Yeah, as a whole… people were none too happy. Then, he turned out to be the best thing about Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The same sentiment was expressed when Paramount announced that Affleck would be the new Jack Ryan. Audiences, after the legendary Ford tackled the role, felt vapid when imagining what Affleck could bring to a role. Imagine if someone else played Indiana Jones or Han Solo? You can’t! So, it’s easy to see why there was such a reaction of “meh” to the casting news of Affleck as the CIA’s secret weapon.
When it came to The Sum of All Fears, casting was the least of the film’s worries. This was a story that featured a terrorist-set nuclear weapon going off on American soil. That’s a tough sell, especially given the fact that the 9/11 attacks were fresh on everyone’s minds. Somehow, Paramount and a new helmer for the series—Phil Alden Robinson—got audiences into seats as the flick banked $193.9 million. The film was seen as a reboot (i.e. a younger Ryan), and as we all know by the fact that Affleck never played the part again, The Sum of All Fears wound up being a one-off. Yet again (sense a theme here?) the video upgrade is sublime, and the audio is fine, but nothing special.
Chris Pine is one of my favorite actors of his generation and when it was announced that he was taking on the complex role that is Clancy’s greatest creation, it was a piece of news that was met with utter excitement. Sadly, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is not one of the better Ryan films. It’s no The Sum of All Fears missing the mark by a longshot. But, given the strength of the thespian behind the character, there was much more that could have been done with that film that was not. It is still a solid endeavor and is ten times better than so many of the spy/espionage movies that Hollywood churns out. Now with John Krasinski tackling the character on the small screen on Amazon, it looks like Pine will never get a chance to portray him again. Krasinski is stellar on so many levels, don’t get me wrong, but it is a mixed blessing that he is the face of Clancy’s Ryan and not Pine. Of course, Pine has his hands full with another franchise—Star Trek—and I’m sure he does not lose sleep over it. Just saying…
When it comes to the technical upgrade with his Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, it is once again a case of the visual being a marvel of home video technology and the audio not being given its rightful due. Given the advancements in cinema technology (in terms of the actual filming of the movies themselves), it is hardly a surprise that Shadow Recruit is the one that looks the best on the 4K transfer. But, in many ways, talking about the visual upgrade of the entire Ryan series, this point is more like splitting hairs. They all stun. It’s just Pine’s film has a leg up on the others due to the leaps and bounds made with cameras, digital and film, in the last decade.
When it comes to grading this release, I am doing something that I have never done with a home video product. It will be doled in audio and video separately.
Special features, well, let’s just say that there is nothing new here in terms of additional materials not seen on the Blu-Ray releases of these Jack Ryan movies. The featurettes are all good stuff, but that is not why this Jack Ryan 4K release is a must-own. It is the films themselves and the sensational video upgrade.
Series 4K Upgrade Grade (Visual): A+
Series 4K Upgrade Grade (Audio): B