This 1992 thriller sees retired CIA operative Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford, pictured) on holiday in London with his wife Cathy (Anne Archer) and daughter Sally (Thora Birch). In the right place at the right time, Ryan prevents the assassination of government minister Lord Holmes (James Fox) by a renegade IRA unit, killing one of their number into the bargain.
Hailed a hero, Ryan returns to the family's seaside summer home in America but he's being followed by a team of terrorists led by Sean Miller (Sean Bean) and Kevin O'Donnell (Patrick Bergin), intent on revenge for the killing of their comrade...
Ford (who went on to play the same role in Clancy's Clear and Present Danger) is suitably tough yet intelligent, while Archer turns from frightened wife to vengeful harpy when Sally is injured in one of the early attacks. Bean produces one of his better performances as the controlled yet psychotic terrorist and there are strong supporting performances from Fox, James Earl Jones, Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Harris.
Director Phillip Noyce keeps the tension reasonably high throughout the film, using human intelligence and high-tech spy techniques to move the plot along, but some observers have been less than impressed by his efforts, concluding that the movie is muddled and fails to fire on all cylinders. There's also some laughable stereotypes - cue the bungling buffoon Brits and diddly-diddly Irish terrorists. So a mixed bag then, although it certainly has its moments.
Patriot Games is a Film programme that first aired in 1992 and has been classified a 15 certificate.
