Bulwark Takes – "Is ‘Clear and Present Danger’ the Best ’90s Action Flick?"

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Episode Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Sarah, JBL, Sonny
Main Focus: An in-depth discussion of the 1994 film Clear and Present Danger, its merits as a '90s action movie, Jack Ryan adaptations, its continued political relevance, and how it stands in the canon of action flicks.

Episode Overview

The Bulwark Movie Club dives into Clear and Present Danger, the 1994 adaptation of Tom Clancy's novel, starring Harrison Ford in his final turn as Jack Ryan. The panel explores the film's standout set pieces, particularly the iconic SUV convoy ambush, debates Harrison Ford’s portrayal of Ryan, and draws parallels between the film’s political themes and today’s headlines—most notably the American government’s covert actions and the ongoing war on drugs. The team also compares the book and its adaptation, shares fun casting observations, and considers what makes a "straightforward hero" in action cinema.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Enduring Relevance & Enjoyment of Clear and Present Danger

• Immediate Fun & Modern Parallels: Sarah sets the stage noting the film is both "weirdly relevant to our moment but also just amazingly fun to watch." (01:51)
• Classic 90s Action Structure: "This is a classic, like TNT classic sort of movie... You can turn on any 15 minutes of this movie." – Sarah (03:18)
• Compare 'Patriot Games' & 'Clear and Present Danger': Several panelists mixed the movies up before rewatching, which led to a conversation about the hallmarks of each.

2. The Legendary Action Set Piece: The Bogota SUV Ambush

• Best 90s Action Sequence?: "The single greatest action set piece of the 1990s. I'll make that case." – Sarah (01:51)
• Scene Breakdown:
  • Expert, old-school staging and tension.
  • Modern viewers notice the "action movie logic" where heroes miraculously avoid death. (17:15)
  • "When I got to the very end, I suddenly was like, well, I do feel like I've seen this part before... It keeps you on your toes. There’s twists and turns." – Sarah (04:22)
  • Praise for James Horner's score, which elevates the set piece (19:12, 19:15).

3. Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan – Perfect Casting?

• Ford’s Unique Appeal: "He just has this amazing run through the 80s and 90s and early aughts that can't be beaten. And he is perfect as Jack Ryan. He plays him as a total boy scout." – Sarah (04:39)
• From Book to Screen:
  • JBL, a self-proclaimed "Clancy Stan", outlines the Ryan character arc and how Ford brings the perfect mix of "boy scout" and awkward everyman.
  • Ford’s sheepishness and absented-minded professor vibe is highlighted: "Nobody has a better sheepish grin than Harrison Ford. That is, it is like his defining characteristic." – Sarah (08:25)
• Contrast to Other Jack Ryans (Alec Baldwin, etc.): Ford is "less slick," more relatable, while Baldwin is "just Alec Baldwin." (07:54, 08:25)
• Broader Ford Appreciation: Quick nods to his turns as Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and even his resurgence in TV with "Shrinking." (09:13)

4. The ‘Straightforward Hero’ & What's Changed Since the '90s

• Ryan as ‘Straight Arrow’:
  • "He is not an antihero... He's not plagued by darkness. He has a clear sense of right and wrong." – Sonny (10:13)
  • The panel laments the shift in action movies toward complicated, morally grey heroes.
• Checks and Balances—Then vs. Now:
  • "The idea that our government has checks and balances that are sincere, that are serious..." (11:41)
  • Today, the panel observes, no one fears oversight or consequences, highlighting cultural shifts in accountability. (13:07, 14:37)
• Memorable Quote:

  "We don't have to know which party the President is in... we just assume... they will hold [him] accountable for this illegal war they've waged." – Sarah (11:41)

5. Politics, the War on Drugs, and Current Parallels

• Compared to Today's Covert Ops: JBL draws lines between the film’s plot and contemporary undeclared, extralegal military actions, particularly regarding Venezuela. (13:13)
• Senate Oversight: The film's suspense hinges on real fear of Senate accountability—contrasted with the modern decline of congressional power. (15:42)
• The ‘Fridging’ Trope and Gender Roles:
  • The film’s treatment of female characters is scrutinized, especially the trope of killing off women to motivate the male hero. (“Fridged” is explained, 30:05)
  • Surprisngly progressive female representation is noted for its time: Ryan's wife is a surgeon, and the head of the CIA field office is a woman. (28:32)
  • "If this movie was today ... I think it would be conceived of as woke." – Sonny (29:21)
• Book Differences:
  • Book’s depiction of characters, especially Bob Ritter, is more complex, while the movie makes Ritter an almost total scapegoat. (32:41–37:16)
  • Plot differences highlighted: Escobedo, Cutter, and Cortez’s fates differ meaningfully between book, original script, and film. (42:49–44:47)

6. Clancy, Conservatism, & American Power

• Clancy’s Contradictions:
  • An avowed Cold Warrior, Clancy despised drugs and government overreach—yet the film and book both hedge on the wisdom and morality of the war on drugs.
  • "Clancy seems to think that drugs are terrible and evil and that the war on drugs is a lose-lose proposition... conservatives generally have had that exact same problem." – JBL (39:56)
• Historical Parallels:
  • Film and novel are discussed in the context of Oliver North and Iran-Contra. (40:02–41:44)
• Fentanyl, Crack, and Policy Echoes:
  • Debate on how the fentanyl crisis mirrors earlier waves of drug panic, and the racial attitudes underlying policy responses. (45:40–51:08)
  • Differentiation between the '80s crack epidemic and today’s opioid/fentanyl wave—panelists note prescriptions, addiction rates, and public empathy as key variables. (49:10–50:37)

  • "I would just like to see that [enlightened, treatment-based] view [of addiction] equally applied." – JBL (50:37)

7. The Enduring Clancy/Jack Ryan Brand

• Clark, the Ultimate Badass: Willem Dafoe’s character is a “Batman” figure who spins off into other stories (62:21).
• Sequels and the Future?: The idea of a "Clear and Present Danger 2: Fentanyl Boogaloo" is raised with tongue only partly in cheek. (53:22)
• Would Clancy Have Gone MAGA?:
  • JBL wonders if Clancy would have drifted toward Trumpism, given his deep Reaganite love for American power and loathing of "the libs." (53:40)
  • Sonny counters that Clancy’s stories elevate uncompromising moral clarity, which might have made him a bulwark (pun intended) against Trumpism.

8. Comparisons, Favorite Scenes, and Ranking the Jack Ryan Movies

• Hunt for Red October vs. Clear and Present Danger:
  • Hunt for Red October is the critical favorite for technical mastery, but panelists often prefer watching Clear and Present Danger for pure summer-movie fun. (59:13–60:35)
  • Political intrigue and action blend make CPD uniquely bingeable. (60:35–61:59)
• Favorite Moments:
  • “All of the stuff in the jungle with the military team... I found riveting.” – Sarah (61:59)
  • “When Ding Chavez is trying out... 'Because I'm a sneaky bastard, sir.'" – Sonny (62:04)
• Supporting Cast Fun: The group delights in the deep bench of character actors: Willem Dafoe as Mr. Clark, James Earl Jones, Benjamin Bratt, and more. (21:36–24:52)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The single greatest action set piece of the 1990s. I'll make that case." – Sarah (01:51)
• "He is not an antihero... not plagued by the darkness. He has a clear sense of right and wrong." – Sonny (10:13)
• "Nobody has a better sheepish grin than Harrison Ford. That is, it is like his defining characteristic." – Sarah (08:25)
• "He [Jack Ryan] is a person whose family is at the center of his world." – Sonny (26:22)
• "In the book, Henry Czerny's character, Ritter... is a really rough and abrasive figure who is ultimately on the side of the angels." – JBL (32:41)
• "My favorite of the movies is still Hunt for Red October... I would argue that Hunt for Red October is a perfect movie." – JBL (59:13)
• "Fentanyl... you could just invoke to justify anything in the kind of the same way that people talked about cocaine in the ‘80s." – JBL (45:40)
• "I would just like to see that [enlightened, treatment-based] view [of addiction] equally applied." – JBL (50:37)
• "He’s [Clancy’s] a very gifted writer... so much better than they have to be. The characters are better than they have to be." – JBL (57:05)

Key Timestamps

• 01:51 - Sarah introduces Clear and Present Danger as the episode’s focus, previewing the discussion of its action and contemporary relevance.
• 02:36–03:07 - Debate over which set piece is the film’s “greatest.”
• 04:39 - Harrison Ford’s appeal as Jack Ryan.
• 10:13–12:33 - The archetype of the “straight arrow hero” and lost faith in American government checks and balances.
• 13:07–14:37 - Parallels between film’s covert actions and today’s military “black ops”.
• 17:15–21:04 - Breakdown and critique of the Bogota SUV ambush sequence.
• 24:52–29:39 - Supporting cast, gender representation, and shifting cultural norms.
• 32:41–37:16 - Bob Ritter character deep-dive.
• 39:13–42:35 - Conservative politics, war on drugs nuance, Iran-Contra parallels.
• 45:40–51:08 - Fentanyl, crack epidemic, and changing addiction discourse.
• 59:13–60:35 - Ranking Jack Ryan movies and conclusions about favorites.
• 62:21 - Explaining Mr. Clark’s role in the Clancyverse.

Closing Thoughts

The panel wraps with mutual admiration for Clear and Present Danger as an endlessly entertaining slice of 90s cinema. While Hunt for Red October reigns as the “perfect” Jack Ryan film for some, Clear and Present Danger wins for rewatchability, standout action, and its intricate blending of personal morality with institutional intrigue. The group also reflects on the malleability of the Clancy brand, the need for straight-up heroes in fiction, and wonders how Tom Clancy himself might view today’s moral and political landscape.

Next up for Movie Club: The panel debates what to watch next, with strong contenders being Margin Call and All the President’s Men (63:35).

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share it with friends—because, as Sarah says, "we need more fun things." (63:56)