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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Sum Of All Fears, The
Genre: Thriller

Reviewed In Issue 67 (Dec 2002) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, James Cromwell, Liev Schreiber, Bridget Moynahan, Alan Bates, Ciar

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 4.5
DD Sound Rating: 5
DTS Sound Rating: NA
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 3.5
Internet Links
http://www.paramount.com/homevideo
http://www.thesumofallfears.com
Special Features
Includes two audio commentary tracks: one with director Phil Alden Robinson and cinematographer John Lindley, and the other with Robinson and novelist Tom Clancy; 13-minute casting and 17-minute production featurettes; as well as five visual effects featurettes (nine-minute carrier attack, six-minute A-4 jet crash, four-minute hospital explosion, four-minute motorcade crash, and five-minute helicopter crash).


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 33722
(MPAA Rating): PG13
(Rating Reason):

Violence, disaster images and brief strong language
(Retail Price): $29.99
(DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 124
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 2002
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 10/29/02
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Phil Alden Robinson
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  DVD Picture Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on the Jack Ryan series of novels by Tom Clancy, "The Sum Of All Fears" finds Ryan (Affleck) thrust front and center into the spy community when the Russian president dies and is succeeded by the shady Nemerov (Hinds), a Russian politician on whom Ryan is an expert. While Ryan insists that Nemerov is not a warmonger, he joins CIA Director William Cabot (Freeman) in a desperate attempt to uncover the truth behind the suspected increase in Russian nuclear weaponry. Meanwhile, terrorists plot to provoke war between East and West by detonating a nuclear bomb

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 2.35:1 DVD exhibits a rich, slightly dark picture, with deeply saturated colors. The scenes at the Super Bowl exhibit bright, vibrantly saturated colors, superb contrast, and endless blacks. The picture can also be stylized with a desaturated look and blue-gray hues to help depict the cold Russian environments or the stark, almost black-and-white images after the nuclear blast in Chapter 9. Film grain is often utilized in the scenes following the blast to convey a visually harsh atmosphere. Images are sharp and nicely detailed, with excellent contrast and shadow delineation. Edge enhancement can be bothersome at times, but its presence is not as plentiful as would be expected for so many highly contrasted scenes in the movie. Pixelization is also occasionally noticed, often in the satellite images, but otherwise the picture is smooth and solid. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby Digital 5.1-channel audio presentation has the makings of a very fine production, including excellent fidelity, liberal spatial engagement, and selective yet effective use of frequency and dynamic range. The spatial soundstage character varies according to the nature of the scene, from those which are dialogue-dominant and virtually quiescent in the surrounds, to those which call for all-out sonic activity around you. The music score figures prominently in terms of dimension, contributing to heightened surround activity. Composed by Jerry Goldsmith, the music has been very well recorded, with impressive fidelity and tonal articulation. There

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
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