The best Jack Ryan: Baldwin, Ford, or Affleck?

[Good Will Riker]

Alec Baldwin originated the role, Harrison Ford was arguably the most recognizable in the role, while Ben Affleck -- imho -- wasn't quite believable in the role as his 2 predecessors.

Personally, who did you like the best in the role of the cinematic Jack Ryan?

 

[HRHTheKING]

Alec Baldwin was the best Jack Ryan.


Harrison Ford is already Indy and Han Solo.

He didn't need to be another hero.

 

[Kirkman1987]

Baldwin

It helps that Hunt for red october was by far the best film.

 

[Good Will Riker]

Baldwin

It helps that Hunt for red october was by far the best film.

As the first film in the series, Hunt was excellent.

But, as for the rest of the series, I would prefer that the producers follow the format setup by Phillip Noyce for Clear and Present Danger.

 

[Arthur Frelling Dent]

Reading the books I've always pictured Ryan as looking basically like Baldwin, even before the movies. Even after seeing Ford and Affleck, I still pictured a Baldwinesque Ryan. I also always pictured John Clark as looking like Tom Berenger. Neither Dafoe nor Schreiber (especially) worked for me.

 

[Jack Bauer]

No doubt...Baldwin. I still see him as Ryan when I read the books. I always have even when Ford was playing the character.

Reading the books I've always pictured Ryan as looking basically like Baldwin, even before the movies. Even after seeing Ford and Affleck, I still pictured a Baldwinesque Ryan. I also always pictured John Clark as looking like Tom Berenger. Neither Dafoe nor Schreiber (especially) worked for me.

For some reason I always pictured Michael Ironside as John Clark.

 

[Aragorn]

Ryan Gosling.

 

[Ptrope]

Kurt Russell in the movie Executive Decision (independently wealthy CIA analyst ends up in the thick of high-tech terrorist plot, saves the day by taking command of an elite military tactics squad - yeah, that's Jack Ryan ).

 

[captcalhoun]

the books, Red October to Bear and the Dragon. nothing else counts

 

[Vendikarr]

I always enjoyed Baldwin's performance best. The man out of his element rising to the challenge was much more appealing as a story. Ford's Jack Ryan was all action hero, and it just wasn't very fun.

 

[gh4chiefs]

Alec Baldwin was the best Jackass.

Fixed your post.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Harrison Ford is the best Jack Ryan.

 

[Mr Light]

Alec Baldwin was the definitive Jack Ryan, and the guy I always pictured reading the books. Ford was a horrible Jack Ryan, a completely different character. Affleck was alright I guess.

And Red October was the only GREAT Jack Ryan movie. I didn't care for either Ford movie, but Sum Fears was surprisingly good.

 

[Tom Servo]

I have always liked all three actors for their various contributions for the character, but I think Baldwin was the best, but maybe that is also because Red October was the best film, IMHO.

I dont get the dislike of Affleck's Ryan. I thought The Sum of All Fears was an excellent film, and I thought Affleck did a pretty good job in his role as a young, more niave Ryan.

 

[JGordon]

I think Hunt for Red October was the best of the movies, but Harrison Ford was the best Ryan. I would have loved to see a younger Harrison in Red October.

 

[A beaker full of death]

Baldwin

It helps that Hunt for red october was by far the best film.

As the first film in the series, Hunt was excellent.

What makes them a series?

EDIT: I've only seen Hunt.

 

[Garrett]

Alec Baldwin. I saw The Hunt For Red October before reading the books, so I had him in mind while catching up on the series. He does manage to capture a lot of the traits of the character in the book fairly well.

As much as I like Harrison Ford, he was a terrible choice for the character. I especially dislike how they seem to have downplayed the intelligence of the character and made him more an action hero.

I actually haven't scene the Ben Affleck movie, except for watching it once with the commentary on. I was paying far more attention to Clancy calling bullshit every so often than the movie itself.

 

[Mr Light]

The Jack Ryan books are a heavy continuity series lasting a dozen or so books. Hunt was the first published and introduced Jack and the entire world. Patriot Games was the first prequel, showing Jack's backstory with the Irish terrorists. Clear and Present Danger was the third novel (they skipped my favorite book, #2 Cardinal of the Kremlin). Sum of All Fears was the fourth novel, but the movie barely resembles the book (the baddies were Muslim terrorists... and an Amerindian terrorist).

Within the series there's like two hundred recurring characters, and each book advances Jack's story a little bit, usually with him gaining a more important role in the government till he finally becomes President of the United States. There's even a shadowy mastermind responsible for of the earlier baddies who is eventually dealt with. Think 24 as a book series

 

[Harvey]

Baldwin

It helps that Hunt for red october was by far the best film.

As the first film in the series, Hunt was excellent.

What makes them a series?

EDIT: I've only seen Hunt.

They all are movies that are lead by the character of Jack Ryan?

As for the best one, it's clearly Alec Baldwin. I was always disapointed that he couldn't play the character in the two sequels. Harrison Ford never fit in the role for me. I think even Affleck was better than Ford in the role, really.

 

[Mr Light]

The problem with Ford is that he played the usual dour super serious angry righteous guy he's played since Indy ended. Jack Ryan is supposed to be a happy laid-back buddy buddy humble kind of guy, the way Baldwin was in Hunt.

Which is funny, because if you ever see Ford on a talk show, he's naturally a very laid back and goofy guy. I would love to see him in an actual comedy playing himself for once. I'm sick of his dour seriousness. Even in Hollywood Homicide he was pretty much his usual character!