Each Harrison Ford franchise is ranked from worst to best
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Few Hollywood stars have created as many iconic and celebrated movie franchise characters as Harrison Ford – Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Rick Deckard – undoubtedly some of the most well-known roles in cinema. Ford’s talent and success are evident in a career spanning decades, beginning in the 1960s when, as he noted in an interview with Vanity Fairhe and his wife flipped a coin”two out of three” to decide whether they would go to the East or West Coast, the two places where the actors could hope to find better success. His career made great strides when he began collaborating with George Lucas, first American graffiti (1973), and of course, War of the galaxies (1977), which cemented his place as a leading man in Hollywood.
Today, many of these Harrison Ford stories are still in the works. He made an appearance as Han Solo Star Wars: The Force Awakens as recently as 2015. Although no longer portrayed by Ford himself, the jack ryan The franchise has continued, most recently in the John Krasinski television series. Indiana Jones 5 will be released in 2023 and was rewritten to address the actor’s age. So it seems as good a time as any to take another look at the Harrison Ford franchises that audiences know and love.
Honorable Mention: The Fugitive
One of Harrison Ford’s most iconic roles was that of Richard Kimble the fugitive (1993), the story of a man framed for the murder of his wife. While the film was based on a 1960s TV series and continued into a sequel, US Marshals (1998), making it a notable franchise, Ford only appears in the original film. Therefore, it has not been included in the following rankings.
4. Jack Ryan (1992-1994)
Taking over the role of Jack Ryan from Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford appeared in two of the films in the franchise: Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and present danger (1994). Based on the Tom Clancy novels, these two films helped develop the character of Jack Ryan, the former Navy and CIA analyst turned history teacher (the details of his backstory have changed slightly with each new installment) in a way that The Hunt for Red October (1990) did not. Patriot Games finds Ryan in the middle of a conflict in the UK, while Clear and present danger centers on a confrontation between the US government and a Colombian cartel.
However, while also delivering a thoroughly entertaining action-thriller duo, and even Clear and present danger provides a more nuanced follow-up to its predecessor: both films fall into traps of predictability and familiarity. Patriot Games it also received mixed criticism after altering details of the Tom Clancy book it used as source material, specifically the description of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Also, Harrison Ford’s performance barely reached a level of notability or charm evident in his other work, portraying a character that audiences don’t associate with just him. Unfortunately, these two films alone can’t compete with Ford’s other franchise roles.
3. Indiana Jones (1981-present)
Few films occupy such an important place in the action-adventure genre as the Indiana Jones series Indy’s hat and whip have become established as cinematic symbols of exploration and archeological research, the stories of which have inspired countless imitations and references. Here, Harrison Ford delivers a higher level of charisma and charm, creating an unforgettable character. Moments like the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), in which Indiana Jones runs from a giant rock, are among Hollywood’s most iconic scenes.
Unfortunately, however, the subsequent installment of the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) isn’t quite as strong, earning that franchise a lower spot on the list. This film moves away from the elements that first gave the series its success with the public, dropping the gritty adventure realism for an unrealistic ending bordering on science fiction. It’s still unclear what exactly the fifth installment of the franchise has in store.
2. Blade Runner (1982-2017)
The original Blade Runner (1982) is undoubtedly one of the most compelling and influential stories of science fiction. Based on Phillip K. Dick Make the electric sheep Android dream come true, has inspired an entire subgenre and aesthetic. While the character of Rick Deckard isn’t as iconic as Harrison Ford’s other roles, both in the original and Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 follow-up Blade Runner 2049Ford delivers a nuanced performance that delves into more dramatic depth than any other franchise he’s appeared in.
In the first, Deckard works as a “Blade Runner,“whose job is to track down and kill humanoid machines called “replicants.” However, things get complicated when Deckard becomes romantically involved with a replicant named Rachael, eventually running away with her. In Blade Runner 2049, we find Deckard, years later, holed up in post-apocalyptic Las Vegas. Unlike in Indiana JonesFord’s performance here helps reveal even deeper layers of his character and delivers an exciting, entertaining and thought-provoking sequel.
1. Star Wars (1977-2015)
It is impossible to imagine War of the galaxies anywhere but the top spot on this list, delivering perhaps Harrison Ford’s strongest and most notable role. Besides, War of the galaxies has become one of Hollywood’s top-grossing franchises. Elements of Ford’s character are at the center of this cinematic universe, such as the Millennium Falcon and his partner Chewbacca, who are now Hollywood legends. The fact that Harrison Ford was a key player in the original film and subsequently maintained a central role in the most recent trilogy is impossible to ignore.
