Phillip Noyce Steps Up: My Patriot Games Thoughts

Okay, so I've been working my way through some 90s thrillers lately, trying to fill in some director gaps. I finally got around to Patriot Games (1992). I knew it wasn't directed by John McTiernan, but I was curious about Phillip Noyce's take considering he was stepping into fairly big shoes. I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised! Harrison Ford is, well, Harrison Ford, and he does a solid job as Jack Ryan. I REALLY bought into him trying to protect his family. What I really liked was the tension Noyce built. The scene where Jack's daughter is almost hit by the car? Whew, that was intense! And Anne Archer is really good as his wife. I actually felt the stakes a lot more in this one than I did in some of the other Jack Ryan movies. Sean Bean is a brilliant villain, as always, and you can see the rage building in him throughout the movie. The climax at the Ryan family's house was just great and the ending was kind of perfect. However, I thought the IRA storyline felt a little generic at times? Like, I get it, political thriller, blah blah, but it didn't feel as nuanced as it maybe could have been. Maybe that's just me being picky, though. And there are some cheesy 90s moments with the music that date it pretty badly. Overall, though, I enjoyed Patriot Games a lot more than I expected. Noyce took on a tough challenge and delivered a compelling thriller. It's not going to win any awards for originality, but it's a well-crafted and entertaining watch. Definitely recommended if you're a fan of 90s action/thrillers or just want to see Harrison Ford kick some ass.