Tom Clancy’s Best Movie To Share With Teens

As I was driving home from a film screening last night I heard the news of Tom Clancy’s death. I must take a moment to say how much I appreciate the ability to write a great story and Clancy had that talent in excess. But even more, he offered an opportunity for audiences to not only have an adventure, but to also learn and understand some very complex topics all within the guise of entertainment. The Hunt For Red October is, for myself, the epitome of a great Clancy novel put to film. Not only does it put a different face on an old enemy (there were few films that presented Russians as critical thinkers) it’s also is a great selection to share with teens. In the film we are introduced to Jack Ryan, a CIA agent who goes below the surface facts and wonders if Captian Ramius, the commander of the Russian sub that’s headed for the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, is looking for freedom instead of confrontation. This message is important as we are swamped with 160-character news feeds that can barely present a headline let alone a deep investigation into a current event.

Certainly not all Clancy movies (including Red October) are suitable for “family” viewing. But I will continue to appreciate this writer’s ability to engage us with his powerful stories and intricate details of what might be happening in the dark world of spies and espionage. He certainly had the ability to present the sum of all fears in a way that made us take a second look at what we thought we knew.