Product Details

• Actors: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Sean Bean
• Directors: John McTiernan, Phillip Noyce
• Writers: Donald Stewart, John Milius, Larry Ferguson, Steven Zaillian, Tom Clancy
• Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 3
• Studio: Paramount
• VHS Release Date: September 23, 1997
• Run Time: 393 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0792134877
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,810 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Hunt for Red October: Before Harrison Ford assumed the mantle of playing Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan hero in Patriot Games, Alec Baldwin took a swing at the character in this John McTiernan film and hit one to the fence. If less instantly sympathetic than Ford, Baldwin is in some respects more interesting and nuanced as Ryan, and drawing comparisons between both actors' performances can make for some interesting postmovie discussion. That aside, The Hunt for Red October stands alone as a uniquely exciting adventure with a fantastic costar: Sean Connery as a Russian nuclear submarine captain attempting to defect to the West on his ship. Ryan must figure out his true motives for approaching the United States. McTiernan (Predator, Die Hard) made an exceptionally handsome movie here, with action sequences that really do take one's breath away. --Tom Keogh

Patriot Games: Let's see--he's been Han Solo in three films and Indiana Jones in three more. So why shouldn't Harrison Ford take on a new continuing character in Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan? In this film, directed by Phillip Noyce, Ford picked up the baton when Alec Baldwin, who played Ryan in The Hunt for Red October, opted for a Broadway role instead. In this film Ryan and his family are on vacation when Ryan saves a member of the British royal family from attack by Irish terrorists. The next thing he knows, the Ryan clan has been targeted by the same terrorists, who invade his Maryland home. The film can't shed all of Clancy's lumbering prose, or his techno-dweeb fascination with spy satellites and the like. But no one is better than Ford at righteous heroism--and Sean Bean makes a suitably snakey villain. --Marshall Fine

Clear and Present Danger: The third installment in the cinematic incarnation of Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan and the second starring Harrison Ford, this follow-up to Patriot Games is a more complex, rewarding, and bolder film than its predecessor. Ford returns as Ryan, this time embroiled in a failed White House bid to wipe out a Colombian drug cartel and cover up the mess. The script, by Clancy and John Milius (Red Dawn), has an air of true adventure about it as Ryan places himself in harm's way to extract covert soldiers abandoned in a Latin American jungle. There are a couple of remarkable set pieces expertly handled by Patriot Games director Phillip Noyce, especially a shocking scene involving an ambush on Ryan's car in an alley. The supporting cast is superb, including Willem Dafoe as the soldiers' leader, Henry Czerny as Ryan's enemy at the CIA, Joaquim de Almeida as a smooth-talking villain, Ann Magnuson as an unwitting confederate in international crime, and James Earl Jones as Ryan's dying boss. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, a theatrical trailer, closed captioning, an optional French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Terrific, Intelligent Thrillers that just get Better., April 26, 2001

By 

Bradley Tobin (Penrith, Sydney NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jack Ryan Thriller Set (The Hunt for Red October/Patriot Games/Clear and Present Danger) (DVD)

I am of the Rare Opinion that "Clear and Present Danger" is the Best of the Trilogy, followed Closely by "Patriot Games" and then "Hunt for Red October". Most People I ask seem to think the exact opposite, but What do They know.

For those of you who don't know, Jack Ryan is a CIA Analyst (played by Alec Baldwin in "October" and Harrison Ford is "Games" and "Danger") who always seems to be the Wrong guy in the Wrong place at the Wrong time.

In "Hunt for Red October", Alec plays Jack, a CIA Analyst brought in to the White house to give his opinion on a potential Crisis. The Red October, a Russian Nuclear submarine has been hijacked by its Commander Marko Ramius (Sean Connery). His plan is to try to Defect to the Americans and turn the Prototype ship over to them. The Russians know about this, the Americans don't. Ramius has Everyone trying to stop him, Except his Crew (who would follow him to the death) and Jack, who believes he intends to defect.

Though I may think this is the lesser of the Trilogy, that is not to say I don't like it. "Hunt for Red October" is a Brilliant Cold war Thriller that has Superb Craftsmanship in every field, Directing, Acting, Effects, Thrills... They are all here by the Bucket load. The Supporting cast includes Sam Neill, James Earl Jones (who is the only actor to appear in all three Jack Ryan Films), and Scott Glenn. They all have a Good amount of Screen time and give Standout Performances. John McTiernan's Directing is Assured. The one problem I have with the film is it does tend to Slow Down at points and that Hinders Repeat Viewings. The next two films do not have that problem.

In "Patriot Games", Harrison stars as Jack, holidaying in London with his family. He has Quit the CIA and he is giving Lectures. While meeting up with his family, he witnesses a Car Explode and some masked men Attacking the Survivors of the explosion. Without thinking, Jack runs over and attacks the masked men; Killing one and getting wounded himself. The man he killed has a Brother (Sean Bean) who was also on of the masked men, he is arrested and Jack Testifies against him. Jack gets Knighted and Sean goes to prison. The men were an IRA splinter (ex IRA, or IRA trained) group and they bust Sean out. He swears vengeance for his brother, at any cost.

Harrison makes a Great Jack Ryan; he gives him more Emotion than Alec did and Sean Bean and Patrick Bergen make very Hiss able Villains. Philip Noyce's Directing is Spot on; he keeps the Pace Quick and the Action Tough.

Harrison again stars as Jack in "Clear and Present Danger", he has been promoted to Director General of the CIA and he is nervous. Meanwhile, a friend of the Presidents is Murdered and it is believed that Columbian Drug dealers were behind it, so the President (Donald Moffat) orders his National Security Advisor (Harris Yullin) to get tough on drugs, which they do Secretly with the help of John Clark (Willem Dafoe) and his team of Mercenaries. The Secret war is staged behind Americas back, even Jack Ryan doesn't know about it, but when the Columbians retaliate, it is Jack who is in the firing line.

This one is my Favourite of the three, despite it's two hour and twenty minute running time, it never slows down or gets boring. The Acting is Top Drawer, especially from Dafoe. Philip Noyce is in the director's chair again, and he does an even Better job. In my Opinion it is a Perfect Thriller for people who like Intelligent Thrills.

3 Classic thrillers in this one pack make it an Essential Purchase for Thrill fans. If you like your action heroes to be "Thinking Mans" heroes, then Jack Ryan suits you Perfectly.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great trilogy, May 28, 2001

By 

dan (Livonia, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jack Ryan Collection (The Hunt for Red October / Patriot Games / Clear and Present Danger) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

The Tom Clancy movies are some of the best to have ever been adapted from novels. Though all of the books are at least twice as good as their movies, the films are still great action movies to watch. "The Hunt for Red October" is a great movie, John McTiernen's best right next to "Die Hard." Connery and Baldwin are both very good in it, and the story about a Russian nuclear sub defecting to the USA is still enjoyable though different from the book. The end of the movie is very exciting. "Patriot Games" features Harrison Ford taking over the role of Jack Ryan after Alec Baldwin decided not to do it again. This one is probably the best of the three. The story is that Ryan and his family are in London when he stops an attempted assassination on members of the Royal family, and he in turn is hunted by an ultra violent left-wing faction of the IRA. This pic is very exciting, also featuring a great climax. The last one in the series is "Clear and Present Danger." Now, this one wasn't even close to being half as good as the book, and it is almost completely different. This is my least favorite because the book is so damn good, but it's still an enjoyable movie. It's about an operation being run against a Colombian drug cartel and also being kept secret by the President. However, when a group of American officials are brutally killed by Colombians (which is a spectacular scene), and of course Harrison Ford is there, the operation is shut down, leaving behind American soldiers in Colombia. Ryan (Ford) and Mr. Clark (Willem Dafoe) go in to get the remaining soldiers, and the climax of the movie isn't quite as intense as the climax of the book. Overall, this is a very good collection to buy, and I definitely recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hunt for Red October, June 10, 2002

By 

Kristin Lee Thomas (Alamo, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jack Ryan Thriller Set (The Hunt for Red October/Patriot Games/Clear and Present Danger) (DVD)

This was the first Jack Ryan picture I had seen. From the beginning to the end of this movie, I was enthralled. It was believable, well acted and plausable. The principal actors and all lessor parts were beautifully intertwined to give us a plausable,exciting,intelligent story of intrigue done with a masterful flare.
This is a DVD I have seen at least 7 times and funny as it may seem, I always find something I haven't picked up on. It's a must have and SEE for those intrigued with human nature and the powers of goodness and evil!