The "Clear and Present Danger" of the title is the danger posed by the influx of drugs coming into the USA. This third installment of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series is an exciting adventure of intrigue.<br /><br />We pick up Ryan a couple of years after "Patriot Games" where he is living happily after with his wife Cathy (Anne Archer) a successful doctor, and his two kids, Sally (Thora Birch) and a new son Jack Jr. (Alexander Lester). Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones), Ryan's mentor is suddenly taken ill and appoints Ryan as his replacement as Deputy Director of National Security.<br /><br />Meanwhile, friends of President Bennett (Donald Moffat) have been murdered and connected to the drug lords of Columbia. The President's National Security Adviser, James Cutter (Harris Yulin) and his assistant Ritter (Henry Czerny) arrange to have a group of US Army snipers under the direction of agent John Clark (Willem Dafoe)infiltrate Columbian territory and disrupt the drug trade by destroying drug shipments.<br /><br />Drug lord Ernesto Escobedo (Miquel Sandoval) becomes alarmed and assigns his security chief Felix Cortez (Joaquim de Almeida) to find out who is responsible. Cortez gains the confidence of the secretary of the FBI Director, Moira Wolfson (Ann Magnuson) and learns that Director Jacobs (Tom Tammi) will been sent to Columbia on a secret mission by the President. Ryan already in Columbia, will join the party.<br /><br />Cortez, who has ambitions of his own, sees this as his chance to take over and attacks the convoy carrying the FBI Director and Ryan. Director Jacobs and Ryan's friend, FBI agent Dan Murray (Tim Grimm) are killed.<br /><br />Back in Washington, Ryan continues his investigation and begins to suspect Ritter and Cutter. Cortez having no further use for Moira, murders her the same day that her boss is killed, which alerts Ryan to his involvement.<br /><br />Ryan learns that Cortez plans to overthrow Escobedo and take over. Cutter and Ritter panic and close down Clark's operation trapping his men in the Columbian jungle. Ryan, realizing that he has been set up by the politicians, goes to Columbia once more and enlists Clark's help to rescue the survivors. As Ryan negotiates for their release things suddenly go wrong and...........................<br /><br />Director Philip Noyce gives us plenty of explosive action among the deceit and double crossing. Harrison Ford again turns in an excellent performance as Ryan, who at times seems to be a fish out of water in his new job. Czerny and Yulin make slimy villains and Moffat a believable President. Willem Dafoe as the abandoned Clark has some good moments as well. Anne Archer has little to do (pity) in this one but to be there for Jack.<br /><br />Watch for Benjamin Bratt as the chief of the commandos, Dean Jones as Ryan's boss and Hope Lange as Senator Mayo who grills Ryan on his budget proposal.<br /><br />Followed by "The Sum of All Fears" (2002) in which a much younger Ben Affleck takes over as Jack Ryan....go figure.