Former CIA analyst Dr. Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) addresses the Royal Navy in London when he witnesses an IRA terrorist attack on a member of the royal family Lord Holmes (James Fox). After Ryan successfully prevents the assassination, the brother of a slain terrorist, Sean Miller (Sean Bean) escapes from prison and reunites with rouge a terrorist IRA faction who target Ryan’s pregnant wife (Anne Archer) and daughter (Thora Birch) for revenge. To protect his family Dr. Ryan must return to the CIA and hunt down the terrorists before they strike again.

Jack Ryan and his family are vacationing in England. Quite by accident, Ryan thwarts a terrorist attack – outside Buckingham Palace on Lord Holmes, a member of the royal family – by a splinter IRA group, killing the younger brother of one of the terrorists. Returning to the U.S. with his family, Ryan thinks that’s the end of the matter. But the terrorist won’t let the matter rest and he won’t stop until he’s had his revenge.