The character ofJack Ryancreated byTom Clancyis one of the most popular heroes in literature,making it no surprise thathe was eventually brought to the big screenin a major way. As a CIA analyst who eventually finds his way into the field, Ryan is an interesting take on the notion of a “secret agent” who couldn’t be more different than James Bond or Jason Bourne. Ryan is a patriot who has extensive training, but it is ultimately his intelligence and moral righteousness that makes him best suited for his missions. Ryan is the type of character who wants to diffuse the violence of a situation, and does not inherently go out seeking adventure and excitement. It is for this reason that he is often cited as “the thinking man’s action hero.”
The films in theJack Ryanfranchiseare thrillers first and foremost, as they focus more on the political ramifications and ethical considerations that go into each of Ryan’s missions. Ryan does occasionally have to get into the thick of action and use his training in the CIA to his advantage, but for the most part he leaves the more intense activities to other members of the United States military and espionage agencies. That being said, all five of the films in theJack Ryanfranchise are still generally considered to be “genre movies,” as they include some very intense moments of suspense and intrigue. Here is everyJack Ryanmovie, ranked by action.
5‘The Sum of All Fears’ (2002)
Starring Ben Affleck
The Sum of All Fearswas a very disappointing attempt to revitalize thatJack Ryanfranchisethat really missed the markwhen it came to action. While it is understandable that the series would attempt to present a younger, more charismatic version of Ryan played byBen Affleck, the film ultimately just feels like a pastiche of other, better films in the spy genre. Although a key sequence where Ryan attempts to prevent a bomb from detonating at a football game is certainly impressive, it pales in comparison to bothThe Bourne IdentityandDie Another Day, which were released the same year. It didn’t help that Affleck simply wasn’t believable throwing punches, as he had not bulked up in the way that he did to play Bruce Wayne inBatman v. Superman: Dawn of Justiceand the other DCEU films.
The Sum of All Fearsstretches the believability of theJack Ryanfranchise with its action, as at times it feels like the film is trying to resemble the tone of a disaster film, and not a spy thriller. The best thing that can be said about the film has nothing to do with Ryan himself, as it’s actuallyLiev Schreiber’s performance as the CIA agent John Clark that ends up being the scene stealer. While some of the explosives brought to life using computer generated imagery may have been impressive in 2002, they have not aged very well at all.
The Sum Of All Fears
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4‘Patriot Games’ (1992)
Starring Harrison Ford
Patriot Gamesmade the mistake of including too much actionto the point that it no longer felt believable. The premise of the film was an intriguing one, as it castHarrison Fordas an older version of Ryan who was now retired from active service from the CIA and on vacation with his family; it is only after a rogue IRA agent (Sean Bean)tries to exact revengeon a member of the British Royal Family that Ryan is once again drawn back into the line of duty. While the idea of an older, grizzled Ryan who is not as strong and coordinated as he once was would have been interesting, Ford still plays him as a more-than-competent action star with no sense of vulnerability. In many ways,Alec Baldwinhad captured the somewhat geeky, submissive side of Ryan in a way that Ford never could because of how famous he was for playing heroes in theStar WarsandIndiana Jonesfranchises.
Patriot Gamesalso makes the mistake of spreading the action too thinly among too many characters, as it can be hard to focus on what Ryan’s individual goals in the story are when he is surrounded by supporting characters played byJames Earl JonesandSamuel L. Jackson. While the final stretch of the film features some extraordinary stunt scenes involving the open water,Patriot Gamesis ultimately too unfocused when it comes to the goals of each sequence to rank any higher when compared to the better films in theJack Ryancinematic universe.
Patriot Games
3‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ (2014)
Starring Chris Pine
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruitis anexample of how to do a reboot correctly, as it reframed the character’s arc as an origin story in the vein ofCasino RoyaleorBatman Begins.Kenneth Branaghmade the smart decision to turnJack Ryan: Shadow Recruitinto a post-9/11 story in which a traumatized Ryan is incentivized to protect his country after seeing the result of poor military planning. Although Ryan is injured in a crash early on in his service, the film does a great job at showing how he rebuilds his strength to become a competent and lethal force of nature. A sequence where Ryan is nearly killed by a would-be assassin in his hotel room in Russia is a terrifying moment, and even pushed the boundaries of what is possible with a PG-13 rating due to the graphic violence.
There is more tension in the action inJack Ryan: Shadow Recruitbecause Branagh does a great job at identifying what the stakes are; it is clear that if Ryan fails to stop the Russians from leading an attack on an urban center, the entire world’s finances could be in danger. The notion of financial terrorism was an interesting concept that led to more heady moments of suspense, but there’s still more than enough hand-to-hand combat inJack Ryan: Shadow Recruitto make it more than satisfying as an action thriller.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
The 2014 spy thriller Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is the first original movie based on Tom Clancy’s famous character. Directed by Kenneth Branagh, it follows Ryan as he uncovers a Russian plot to crash the US economy. Chris Pine stars alongside Keira Knightley, Kevin Costner, and Branagh.
2‘Clear and Present Danger’ (1994)
Clear and Present Dangeris by far the grittiest installment in theJack Ryanseries, asFord proved to be far more confident in his performancein his second film. Although Ford was able to show a more vulnerable side of Ryan as he is once again thrust into the line of duty, the film succeeds in introducing a new version of Clark played byWillem Dafoewho is stranded in the midst of Columbia when the United States government abandons him. Ford was able to show that Ryan was hesitant about returning to the frontlines, resulting in a brilliant sequence when is nearly killed when his convoy is attacked by terrorists. It was one of the few times in the franchise in which it genuinely felt like Ryan could die.
Clear and Present Dangeris a much more military-focused action thrillerthan the other installments, as a large crux of the film revolves around a conspiracy involving the United States’ involvement in a revolutionary conflict in South America. While there was going to be an inherent risk that any more large scale action scenes would end up diluting the particular impact that Ryan had on the film’s events, directorPhillip Noycedoes a great job at ensuring that the viewers are invested in all of the characters that are in danger.
Clear And Present Danger
1‘The Hunt For Red October’ (1990)
Starring Alec Baldwin
The Hunt For Red Octoberis quite possiblethe greatest submarine thriller ever made, and one of the best films ever made about the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Submarine combat is not easy to craft on screen, as viewers need to be well aware of what every member of the crew is doing to ensure that no mistakes are made. While any film that dealt with such intimate details about what goes into an aquatic mission ran the risk of being too confusing to audiences, directorJohn McTiernancrafted a brilliant interplay inThe Hunt For Red October; while McTiernan is an action legend behind such classics asDie HardandPredator,The Hunt For Red Octobercombined political intrigue with great performances to make for a thrilling experience that captured the diligence of Clancy’s source material.
The Hunt For Red Octoberalso has a brilliant third act chasethat creates suspense as Baldwin’s version of Ryan attempts to look throughout the Soviet Union submarine to search for the double agent responsible for betraying the captain (Sean Connery). McTiernan once again shows his foresight about the way that the action genre works by using the confined locations to his advantage. While theJack Ryanseries would eventually get far grander in scale,The Hunt For Red Octoberis a masterclass in how to depict action and espionage that holds up over three decades past its original release.
The Hunt for Red October
In November 1984, the Soviet Union’s best submarine captain violates orders and heads for the U.S. in a new undetectable sub. The American CIA and military must quickly determine: Is he trying to defect or to start a war?
