Fisher: Patriot Games/Devil's Own

Patriot Games and The Devil’s Own give two unique perspectives on the IRA-fueled conflict in Ireland that occurred around the time the films were released. Patriot Games takes more of a black and white approach to the two sides of the conflict, portraying the terrorists as the evil enemies since they do evil deeds. In contrast, The Devil’s Own blurs the lines between the good guys and the bad guys and brings a more complex and in-depth examination of the issue, forcing viewers to question the morality of their own government and police units which are casually pointed to as forces of good in Patriot Games.

In Patriot Games, we lose sympathy and respect for Sean Miller’s cause and his grief for his brother as we watch him betray his own countrymen and go after the innocent members of Jack Ryan’s family. Additionally, he members of the terrorist group are portrayed as self-interested, disjointed teammates, fighting and murdering their own affiliates. At the height of the action, the insurgents invade Jack Ryan’s home in the middle of the night to complete their long-term mission to kidnap an important British diplomat. The sinister darkness paired with the extremely personal setting of Jack’s own house lead viewers to make assumptions about the evil nature of the IRA given the group’s affiliation. As Pfeiffer states, the film “had boldly presented the IRA in an unflattering light, and Politically Correct forces began to attack the script’s allegedly right-wing tone…[although] the story emphasizes that the terrorism is being caused by a splinter faction which the IRA itself condemns” (Pfieffer 202). While this may be true, from someone completely uneducated in the matter, it would appear that the IRA is the sole proprietor of wrong and that Jack, our hero and member of the CIA, and his cohorts are in the right. 

On the other hand, The Devil’s Own explores the motivations of those behind the factions of the IRA who practiced more violent protests. The introduction to the film shows how a peaceful life with the warm values of family is destroyed by murder perpetrated by the government. As a witness of his father’s murder, we can understand Frankie McGuire’s hatred towards the British rule imposed upon him. We further join Frankie’s side as he goes on to adopt his host’s, Tom O’Meara’s, family and defends them after a home invasion that occurs due to his own actions. While we may not be able to say that Frankie’s actions are entirely justified, we cannot say that the government’s are either. When confronted by the FBI and the British government for information on Frankie’s location, Tom refuses, saying that he knows that they won’t arrest Frankie, they’ll just kill him. The idea that we can’t trust the people responsible for administering justice to fulfill their job forces audiences to question who is really on the good side in this case.