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Clear and Present Danger

Clear and Present Danger

Truth needs a soldier.

1994141 minPG-13Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Director
Phillip Noyce
Starring
Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Joaquim de Almeida, Henry Czerny

Agent Jack Ryan becomes acting Deputy Director of Intelligence for the CIA when Admiral Greer is diagnosed with cancer. When an American businessman, and friend of the president, is murdered on his yacht, Ryan starts discovering links between the man and drug dealers. As former CIA agent John Clark is sent to Colombia to kill drug cartel kingpins in retaliation, Ryan must fight through multiple cover-ups to figure out what happened and who's responsible.

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Where can I watch Clear and Present Danger?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Clear and Present Danger streaming on Pluto TV (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Clear and Present Danger?

Clear and Present Danger earns 9 badges, led by Word-of-mouth hit and Standout acting.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Clear and Present Danger worth watching?

Clear and Present Danger's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 191K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

89th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)77th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

69 /100

77th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Action81st percentile among 1990s

Critics 72 · Audience 69

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.0 — people broadly agree on this one.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action81st percentile among 1990s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 81% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 3 wins / 11 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Sound

96th percentile

191K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Action94th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 46% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$62M
Opening weekend$20M
Domestic gross$122M
Worldwide gross$216M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 92nd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A political thriller that prioritizes intrigue and moral ambiguity over pure action, though pacing and adaptation choices divide opinion.

Fans praised

  • Harrison Ford's confident, grounded Jack Ryan anchors the film
  • Smart, intricate political thriller with moral complexity
  • Strong supporting cast including Willem Dafoe, James Earl Jones, and Henry Czerny

Detractors panned

  • Simplistic plot that ignores the book's complex conspiracy
  • Unrealistic action climax and slow pacing between set pieces
  • Underdeveloped characters, particularly the president and supporting roles

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Ford, Dafoe, and Jones deliver strong performances; even mixed reviews praise the cast

TensionDivisive80

Sustained suspense and moral stakes; some say it loses steam

AtmosphereDivisive75

Gritty, tense world-building of CIA and Washington politics

Plot and storyDivisive70

Intricate, layered conspiracy praised by fans; detractors call it simplistic and incoherent

CharactersDivisive70

Ryan is compelling, but supporting characters lack depth; the president is underdeveloped

OriginalityDivisive70

Refreshingly cerebral for the genre, but derivative of other political thrillers

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

Good action set pieces, but not over-the-top; some find the climax unrealistic

PacingDivisive55

Slow burn with bursts of action; some find it sluggish, others savour the tension

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 14 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 16 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Clear and Present Danger like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Cold and cerebral · 4% of films: Detached and precise; keeps the viewer at arm's length.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneAn earnest, straight-faced political thriller that treats government corruption and institutional integrity seriously rather than mocking them.
The rideA sustained sense of tension and peril pervades the entire runtime, with action set-pieces punctuating the political dread.
StructureA conventional thriller told in order, cutting between Ryan's Washington investigation and the covert team's parallel operations in Colombia.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with the corruption of the secret drug war and the sting of Ryan's integrity stand before Congress.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeRyan, an intelligence analyst thrust into a deputy post, uncovers an illegal covert war his own government is running against a Colombian cartel and sets out to expose the corrupt officials behind it.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsDuty · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the tension between lawful justice and a corrupt administration's pursuit of power through secret war.
StanceThe film questions the morality of secret wars and government overreach, presenting Jack Ryan's pursuit of legal justice as the correct path.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanIn transitRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · James Horner
SettingWashington D.C. corridors of power and Colombian jungles during the drug war.
MusicHorner's score mixes subdued tension with patriotic sweep, underscoring the political and action sequences.

Content guide

Is Clear and Present Danger okay for kids?

PG-13

Clear and Present Danger is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some intense action/violence and language” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (61/100), sexual content at mild (21/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (35/100) and frightening material at moderate (58/100). Overall it is heavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 18 other countries
  • UK12
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia12+
  • Spain16
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 44% of all filmsHeavier than 72% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 73%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 31%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 68%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 67%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Clear and Present Danger have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Clear and Present Danger?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Harrison Ford
as Jack Ryan
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Willem Dafoe
as Clark
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Joaquim de Almeida
as Felix Cortez
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Henry Czerny
as Robert Ritter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Harris Yulin
as James Cutter
Donald Moffat
as President Bennett
Miguel Sandoval
as Ernesto Escobedo
Raymond Cruz
as Chavez
Anne Archer
as Cathy Ryan
Thora Birch
as Sally Ryan
newcomer then · star now

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Clear and Present Danger?

Movies like Clear and Present Danger include Patriot Games (1992), The Hunt for Red October (1990) and The Interpreter (2005). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Tom Clancy and Donald E. Stewart, and all are political thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its subject: justice. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Clear and Present Danger?

930 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.