# Just caught the 'Sum of All Fears' preview. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 30, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435 "2002-04-30T07:56:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/21 "2002-04-30T16:18:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mighty Maximino \* > \*\*The book did contain an East German ex-communist who was working with the terrorists, but he wasn’t the main focus. Also, there was an American Indian with them too. What do you bet they don’t put _him_ in? \*\* Didn’t he just sell it for money? I wonder why Harrison Ford stopped, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/22 "2002-04-30T16:25:56Z")
Even Tom Clancy hates his own films: > [@](#): > > He [Clancy] also called John Milius’s first script for Clear and Present Danger “really awful. . .an absolute piece of crap.” –[cite](http://apartment42.com/herogq.htm) However, having recently slogged my way through _Rainbow Six_, I’d like to remind Mr. Clancy of an observation sometimes attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer: If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage, you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage in a barrel full of wine, you get sewage. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/23 "2002-04-30T16:29:31Z")
**minty green** got it in one. However willing I am to suspend my disbelief as long as a book is filled with weapon descriptions and cool explosions, Clancy’s made it to the point where I simply _can’t_. Anyway, as for the movie: Is it even plausible to believe that with the current state of affairs, Hollywood is going to film a script where the President loses control of the situation (and himself) in the way it happens in the book ? I very much doubt it. I’ll bet a fiver that the conflict between Ryan & the President will be downplayed or at least focus on something else entirely. We’ll get to see a movie with a cool SFX nuke and the bad guys being chased down - throw in some tension with Russia for good measure. Too bad, because parts of the book could make for a nifty thriller. Ah well. I’m not surprised. Clancy went downhill from _October_ anyway. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/24 "2002-04-30T18:12:27Z")
Just wait till the NRA gets hold of a deadly virus while Ding Chavez and John Clark discover their mutual passion in the movie _Rainbow Six._ ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/25 "2002-04-30T18:27:30Z")
Both Ding and Clark seem like they’d be a top. I wonder how they’d resolve that issue. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc8723/32.png) [@coffeecam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecam)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/26 "2002-04-30T19:07:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by coffeecat \* > \*\*Just wait till the NRA gets hold of a deadly virus while Ding Chavez and John Clark discover their mutual passion in the movie _Rainbow Six._ \*\* ROTFL. God Rainbow 6 was awful. Once Clancy’s politics really began seeping in the whole series went straight to shit. I always figured there was more to John’s relationship with Portagee than came to light in the books. 😃 Cameron, who likes coffee and cats. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/27 "2002-04-30T19:28:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Sheesh, I’m waiting for Ryan to step out of the shower somewhere in the middle of Clear and Present Danger and realize the last six books were all tragically stupid dream. No, no, no. Ryan, who is Catholic, will find himself elected Pope in the next book. Then an atomic bomb will go off in the Heavens and Ryan will find himself unexpectedly promoted to God. And we’ll learn how hewavenly politics work. And Ryan will remake the Earth the _right_ way. ---
**Author:** ![heptapod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@heptapod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heptapod)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/28 "2002-04-30T19:32:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \* > **THIS is the guy that’s supposed to follow in Harrison Ford’s footsteps?!?** I thought the same exact thing when some imbecile replaced Alec Baldwin with Harrison Ford who has become the most wooden and least versatile actor in Hollywood. It’s like Kathy Ireland with her “dull surprise” from MST3K, Harrison Ford has his “stony determination” look and nothing else. I tried watching those Tom Clancy movies when they featured Harrison Ford and they were dull, lifeless and completely lacking because they had the wrong man as a lead. Good riddance, Han Solo. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/29 "2002-04-30T19:46:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lno \* > \*\*I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. > > Wait, er. > > I, for one, welcome the change in venue from Denver to Baltimore. Why, you ask? Because Clancy blew up the Super Bowl. As if that weren’t bad enough, he blew up a Super Bowl that featured the Vikings. And if THAT weren’t back enough, he blew up a Super Bowl that featured the Vikings WINNING. > > Baltimore? No great loss. \*\* Come on… you KNOW something like that would happen to the Vikes. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/30 "2002-05-01T01:43:09Z")
At least they’re not crypto-fascists… ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/31 "2002-05-01T01:56:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by coffeecat \* > \*\*Just wait till the NRA gets hold of a deadly virus while Ding Chavez and John Clark discover their mutual passion in the movie _Rainbow Six._ \*\* Ha. ---
**Author:** ![SpaceGhostofArrakis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@SpaceGhostofArrakis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceGhostofArrakis)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/32 "2002-05-01T02:58:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\* > > No, no, no. Ryan, who is Catholic, will find himself elected Pope in the next book. > Then an atomic bomb will go off in the Heavens and Ryan will find himself unexpectedly promoted to God. And we’ll learn how hewavenly politics work. And Ryan will remake the Earth the _right_ way. \*\* Actually, it looks as if Tom Clancy is setting up the Way Back Machine™ to a earlier, simpler time. ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/33 "2002-05-01T05:51:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lno \* > \*\*And if THAT weren’t back enough, he blew up a Super Bowl that featured the Vikings WINNING. > > Baltimore? No great loss. \*\* Unless I’m missing something, who plays in the Superbowl has nothing to do with where it’s played. The Vikes are no less likely to be playing in Baltimore than Denver. In fact, I’m struggling to imagine the NFL picking Denver to host the Superbowl. At 5000 feet. At the end of January. In an outdoor stadium. 'Sides, you _know_ Culpepper’s gonna take 'em all the way this year now that he has McKinnie in front of him (who may be the only O-lineman big enough for DC to hide behind). ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/34 "2002-05-01T06:08:40Z")
In the EW preview for the movie, they said they are reconciling the obvious age problems with Affleck as Ryan by _demoting him from Director of the CIA_ to an analyst. Didn’t Harrison Ford leave this project because of differences over who the bad guys were supposed to be? Oh, and I read somewhere that the football scenes were filmed at Olympic Stadium in Montreal with CFL teams. There’s goof #1 for the IMDb–the “Super Bowl” is being playing on a 110-yard field! {Spoilers} Personally, I would have made Rainbow 6 into a movie before SOAF. I mean, damn, the bad guys pretty much win (They still get to nuke the Super Bowl in the movie, right? Or is that not PC? Is the ending going to be Ben Affleck disarming a nuke?). The only “victory” is that Ryan keeps the president from launching a retalitory nuclear strike. R6 could have at least had Clark and Chavez kicking some serious ass. Anyone else find it laughable that such a right-wing created character as Jack Ryan is officially neither Republican or Democrat? One last thing–how in the HELL did Ryan get through all of Executive Orders without a vice president? It’s not until The Bear and the Dragon that we find out he picked Robby Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/35 "2002-05-01T07:16:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I thought the same exact thing when some imbecile replaced Alec Baldwin with Harrison Ford who has become the most wooden and least versatile actor in Hollywood. It’s like Kathy Ireland with her “dull surprise” from MST3K, Harrison Ford has his “stony determination” look and nothing else. Heresy. Absolute heresy. Alec Baldwin was to the Jack Ryan role as Dubya is to the presidency. > [@](#): > > Personally, I would have made Rainbow 6 into a movie before SOAF. I mean, damn, the bad guys pretty much win (They still get to nuke the Super Bowl in the movie, right? Or is that not PC? Is the ending going to be Ben Affleck disarming a nuke?). The only “victory” is that Ryan keeps the president from launching a retalitory nuclear strike. R6 could have at least had Clark and Chavez kicking some serious ass. Of course, the “Final Battle” of _Rainbow Six_ wins the Grand Prize for “Shooting Fish In A Barrel”. Up until then, we have all these cool, kickass counter-terrorist actions, but then, suddenly, we’re faced with the rough equivalent of Mr. T vs. Peewee Herman. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/36 "2002-05-01T08:17:23Z")
I am relieved to notice that i was not the only one who had trouble slogging through **Rainbow Six**. Then I read the ending and was thinking what the fuck was up with this shit. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/37 "2002-05-01T09:21:19Z")
Oh, I loved reading through _Rainbow Six_. It’s just that the ending was… well… unsatisfying. Clancy might as well have made it a paintball war. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/38 "2002-05-01T15:40:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cerowyn \* > Unless I’m missing something, who plays in the Superbowl has nothing to do with where it’s played. The Vikes are no less likely to be playing in Baltimore than Denver. In fact, I’m struggling to imagine the NFL picking Denver to host the Superbowl. At 5000 feet. At the end of January. In an outdoor stadium. > > 'Sides, you _know_ Culpepper’s gonna take 'em all the way this year now that he has McKinnie in front of him (who may be the only O-lineman big enough for DC to hide behind). Nah, you got it right. I just grasped at the momentary hope that if the venue in the movie changed, maybe, just maybe, the participants in the event changed. But … you’re right. With McKinnie at left tackle, and Moss getting the ball 40% of the time, the Vikings will end up losing the Super Bowl anyway. _Rainbow Six_ was … well … yeah. When I started reading it, a friend started talking about the end of the book and I shrieked like a crack-addled rhesus monkey about spoilers. He said, and I paraphrase, “C’mon, this is a Clancy book. What do you think happens? The God-fearing right-wing Americans will defeat the tree-hugging dirt-eating Communist athiest Russian druids and Jack Ryan will be the reluctant hero again even if he’s not in the book.” ---
**Author:** ![abel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@abel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abel)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/39 "2002-05-01T18:14:19Z")
They screwed up _Clear and Present Danger_ enough\*. Don’t they realize by leaving out all these details they’re crippling their ability to make more movies? Some of the books have whole sections of their plot which began in previous books. Make the movie longer, but don’t cut out the plot and add a lot of superfluous b.s. - Dan Murray dies (Doesn’t he become director of the FBI at a later date? Can’t do that when you’re DEAD!) - Moira dies (She’s alive at the end of the book) - Buck Zimmer doesn’t die (He gets shot in the rescue attempt in the book) - Escobedo shot by Cortez? (He’s handed over to the Cartel in the book) What the… ? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435/40 "2002-05-01T23:26:25Z")
Maybe they should just pretend all the previous Tom Clancy movies never happened and start all over. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-caught-the-sum-of-all-fears-preview/106435.md?page=3)