Negative Space: Texas Plan

“Patriot Games” includes the usual decisions that are made only by the characters in thrillers. For example, aware that vicious hit men have targeted his family, Ryan takes his wife and daughter to their isolated summer home, on a wind- and rain-swept coast. I forgive movies for decisions like this, because I know that if Ryan did the obvious thing, and set up bunks for his family inside a vault at CIA headquarters in Langley, the movie would be over. But such decisions don’t make the character seem much brighter. — Roger Ebert