Title: Patriot Games: Special Collector’s Edition

Region: One

Genre: Thriller

Stars: Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Patrick Bergin, Sean Bran, Thora Birch, James Fox, Richard Harris, Samuel L. Jackson, James Earl Jones, and Ted Raimi

Writers: W. Peter Iliff and Donald Stewart

Based On The Novel By: Tom Clancy

Director: Phillip Noyce

Feature length: 116 minutes

Extras: “Patriot Games Up Close” Documentary and Theatrical Trailer

Languages: English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, and French Language Stereo Surround Sound

Subtitles: English Captions and Closed Captions and Spanish Language Subtitles

Packaging: Amaray Keep Case

Chapter Stops: 22

Sound: DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, and Dolby Stereo Surround Sound

Year of Theatrical Release: 1992/DVD Release: 2003

Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Home Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment

MPAA Rating: R

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

After the success of “The Hunt For Red October” Producer Mace Neufeld and Paramount Pictures quickly optioned “Patriot Games” and “Clear And Present Danger” as the next two films in what was becoming a new franchise for Paramount. Alec Baldwin declined to return as “Jack Ryan” for “Patriot Games” so the role went to Harrison Ford, who had expressed an interest in playing Captain Ramius in “The Hunt For Red October.” While one can argue that Sean Connery does not convey a convincing Russian accent unless it is Russia by way of Scotland, anyone who saw Ford’s attempt at a Russian accent in last summer’s “K-19: The Widowmaker” can surely agree that neither can Ford and as much as Harrison Ford is likable in his action films, the truth is he is still no Sean Connery. However Ford turned in a solid thinking person’s action hero for the second and third films in the series and I remember reading about the initial casting of Ford as Jack Ryan at some unrelated NYC based film production offices where I had been interning while in college and the general consensus from those around me was excitement. So the writers had to write the screenplay with a man of approximately 50 years of age in mind instead of a 35 year old and we now get to see a bit of Jack Ryan’s personal life years after the events in “The Hunt For Red October.” Now a professor at a Naval college, Ryan returns to his job as an analyst for the CIA to thwart rogue IRA agents with a vendetta against him.

James Earl Jones reprises his role as “Admiral Greer” for the film while Anne Archer and a very young Thora Birch step in as Ryan’s wife and daughter. Sean Bean plays the rogue IRA soldier out to avenge his brother’s death upon Jack Ryan and his family while the film also sports supporting roles for Richard Harris and Samuel L. Jackson before he became one of the busiest working actors in films, which is saying a lot because Jackson was busy, but not well known long before then too. Australian Philip Noyce stepped as Director and James Horner cribbed a bit off of his soundtrack from “Aliens” the film’s score.

Paramount Home Entertainment is re-releasing “Patriot Games” as a “Special Collector’s Edition” DVD with an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio and the welcomed addition of an English DTS Soundtrack. “Patriot Games” is a more monotone looking film than “The Hunt For Red October” and it is also a much darker film in tone as well. Despite the glossier look of “The Hunt For Red October,” the transfer on “Patriot Games” looks more solid with no color bleeding or anomalies whatsoever. The English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Soundtrack also seems to have a higher fidelity than both the DTS track on “The Hunt For Red October” as well as the English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack present on “Patriot Games.” A French Language Dolby Stereo Surround Soundtrack is also included along with English Captions and Closed Captions for the hearing impaired and Spanish Language Subtitles and the addition of French Language Subtitles is included as an option for the bonus documentary included on this DVD too.

New-videotaped interviews with Stars Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, and James Earl Jones, Screenwriter W. Peter Iliff, Director Phillip Noyce, and Producer Mace Neufeld are intercut with filmed behind-the-scenes production footage in the documentary “Patriot Games Up Close” (25:15) and the (2.35:1) theatrical trailer (2:36) is presented with a full Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack too.

Light on extra features, but with a solid anamorphic widescreen presentation and a great DTS Soundtrack option, “Patriot Games: Special Collector’s Edition” will debut on DVD-Video on Tuesday, May 6, 2003 along with “Clear And Present Danger: Special Collector’s Edition” and “The Hunt For Red October: Special Collector’s Edition” sold separately or as a part of “The Jack Ryan Special Edition DVD Collection” box set, which also includes “The Sum Of All Fears: Special Collector’s Edition” from Paramount Home Entertainment.

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