Ben Affleck as Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy’s intrepid hero? Ridiculous. What’s next? D.J. Qualls as Indiana Jones? Or Tom Green as Han Solo? Okay, these may be extreme examples. Still, it’s difficult for me to accept anyone but Harrison Ford in those three roles, and I feel The Sum of All Fears suffers greatly from his absence.

No doubt filmmakers want a younger Jack Ryan in order to continue this lucrative franchise. Affleck, so impressive as a harried business lawyer in Changing Lanes, lacks Ford’s deep voice and ability to show an intense concern for others – important qualities that made Ryan so appealing to me in Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games. Even Alec Baldwin made a better Ryan earlier (in The Hunt for Red October).

In this latest screen adaptation of a Clancy novel, Ryan is a young analyst called upon by the CIA director (Morgan Freeman) to help him assess Alexander Nemenov, a new Russian leader (Ciaran Hinds). He’s a bit like Peck’s Bad Boy -- doesn’t wear a coat and tie to briefings, speaks before he’s spoken to at top-level government meetings, and so forth. William Cabot (Freeman) takes Ryan under his wing anyway, mostly because the young upstart has done research on Nemenov. Ryan soon becomes involved with a covert operator, played brilliantly by Liev Schreiber (Kate and Leopold), in trying to stop a nuclear war between Russia and the United States.

But not before Baltimore experiences a nuclear explosion that destroys a stadium full of people and almost kills the President of the United States (portrayed by a very unBabe-like James Cromwell). What’s a President to do? Prepare to strike back, of course. Unfortunately, it’s not Russia’s bomb. Instead, wealthy Nazi (Alan Bates) has purchased the nuclear device assumed lost by Israel in 1973. "Hitler made a mistake. You don’t fight America and Russia. You get Russia and America to fight each other and destroy each other," he explains.

Besides being disappointed about Affleck’s casting, I’m upset over the lack of screen time for Freeman (High Crimes). He’s wonderful, as usual, but I wish more of the film focused on his character, a man of wit, intelligence and sensitivity – a kind of modern Obi-Wan Kenobi. And Bates makes a better butler (Gosford Park) than a villain. His beard and a new unidentifiable accent aren't much help here.

Cinematography by John Lindley (Field of Dreams) and background music by Oscar-winner Jerry Goldsmith (The Omen) enhance this action adventure, making it look and sound much better than it is. Disturbing scenes depicting the aftermath of a nuclear bombing filled my heart with fear and dread – even without showing much blood and gore. Stirring musical themes, although a little overpowering in places, add to the film’s suspense. (I loved the drums at the opening of the football game.)

Like most Americans, my fear of terrorist attacks has increased since 9/11. I don’t need a movie to remind me. Nevertheless, The Sum of All Fears offers valuable advice to President Bush and all high-level government officials. Don’t jump to conclusions.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated "PG-13" for violence, disaster images and brief strong language.)

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