I remember the first time I saw The Hunt for Red October. Going in, I didn’t know what to expect from a Tom Clancy novel turned into a movie because the books are so dense with technical jargon that it’s almost numbing. Alec Baldwin was the first to play Jack Ryan and though he’s not my favorite actor, he was great in this part with a bit of arrogance and smarts. John McTiernan, the director, crafts a smart and tense movie that doesn’t seem anywhere near its 135 minute runtime.

It’s full of big name actors who play their parts perfectly no matter what the size of their role. Even the smaller parts are cast well, one of my favorites being Courtney B. Vance as Seaman Jones who steals every scene he’s in.

It’s a solid start to what would become a successful franchise over the years with Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger to follow in the same vein.