One of the most respected veteran actors today, Harrison Ford, has built quite the resume, working (and in some cases, leading) some of the well-received critical darlings of cinema. With an average Tomatometer of 65% (as of press time), Ford has seen his fair share of success and failures, but his legacy is secure by the incredible franchises and characters he's gotten to bring to life.
Here, we will review the ten highest-rated films that Ford has been a part of. Exceptions will be made, such as excluding documentaries and any movie where Ford played a minor role. The goal will be to focus on films where Harrison Ford's performance carried the most impact on the product, thus retaining a focus on his impact as an actor. Next to each entry will be the percentage the film received on the Tomatometer, not the Audience Score.
10 Presumed Innocent (86%)
Ford would embody the role of prosecutor "Rusty" Sabich, as he is assigned a case looking into the sexual assault and murder of his work colleague. Throughout the film, it is revealed that this colleague was the target of multiple men's desires, including Rusty himself, who had an affair with the victim.
Rusty would soon have evidence levied against him, leading him to become the primary suspect. Throughout the course of the film, Ford's performance would prove pivotal as Rusty would work every angle he had to prove himself innocent while casting suspicions on other parties (including his legal partner), as there were many with a motive to kill the young woman out of jealousy. Eventually, Rusty is declared not guilty of the crime, only to discover his wife had murdered the woman, jealous of the affair he had participated in.
9 Blade Runner 2049 (88%)
It can be argued that this iteration in the franchise was more Ryan Gosling's film, but the franchise's success would not have led to this sequel without Ford's performance. Ford would reprise his role of Rick Deckard, acting as the main supporting character in Blade Runner 2049.
Deckard is revealed in the film's third act, revealing that he is the father of Ana Stelline (Carla Juri). Not wishing to see his partner and daughter in danger, Deckard would leave them in the protection of a replicant freedom-fighting group. Unfortunately, Rachel dies while giving birth, and Deckard goes years without seeing his daughter. After standing alongside K (Ryan Gosling), Deckard would be reunited with his daughter, finally giving closure to the character that helped kickstart a cult classic.
8 Witness (93%)
In another crime film to put under his belt, Ford is the leading star as Detective Sergeant John Book. In this film, Ford plays the heroic bearer of justice as he deals with corrupt police officers. After narrowly escaping a murder attempt from his fellow officers, Book would take Rachel Lapp (Kelly McGillis) and her son Samuel (Luke Haas) back to their Amish community for protection.
While Book grows to care for the Lapps and their community, he defends them and unintentionally draws the attention of the cops his way. Ford's work as an action star would excel here, as he helped ground multiple scenes with his grit and determined demeanor. Despite the controversy surrounding the film's depiction of the Amish community, Ford's performance was worth a nomination at the Academy Awards.
7 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (93%)
Despite the years since the defeat of the Empire, Han Solo was still one of the hardest-working guns-for-hire in the galaxy. Alongside Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), the duo would run into the next generation of heroes in the Star Wars franchise when they discover their Millennium Falcon being flown by Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega).
But the newest character in the franchise with the most vital link to Solo would be Kylo Ren/ Ben Solo (Adam Driver). Han and Leia's son, Ben, becomes disillusioned with his family after waking up to find Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) contemplating murdering him. While Han would refuse to fight his son directly, he would instead try to talk Ben down, only for Ben to murder him, closing a chapter on one of the most iconic characters Ford has ever played.
6 Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (93%)
This is the film that started it all. Ford would be ingrained into a science fiction franchise that would last over four decades and still act as the charismatic, wise-cracking gun shooter of the group. While he initially only joins the team for the money, Han Solo would slowly grow to care for Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher). Solo's popularity would skyrocket by providing some of the funniest moments and lines throughout the film. And while it would appear that he wouldn't stick around for the final battle, Solo would return and provide a pivotal distraction, giving Luke the time he needed to destroy the Death Star.
5 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (94%)
Sometimes, the sequel really is better. With a more prominent role, Han Solo would fully work as part of the Rebel Alliance, standing with his friends in their fight against the Empire. Han Solo would even risk his own life to save Luke from the blistering cold of Hoth. Han's future in the franchise would be thrown into question as he was frozen in carbonite. While this proved to be an emotional scene, Ford managed to deliver another often-quoted line. As Leia tells Han she loves him, Solo simply replies, "I know."
4 Blade Runner: The Final Cut (94%)
Blade Runner is another classic sci-fi film that spawned a cult following, Ford would enter the world of replicants as Rick Deckard. Deckard is a Blade Runner, or an individual whose job is to hunt down replicants and terminate them. Deckard proves to be very succinct and efficient, often able to deduce who is a replicant, even when they seemingly pass the standard test that helps to categorize them from humans.
Deckard's morality comes into play as he is tasked with killing an innocent replicant who had spent years believing she was human due to the memories that had been implanted in her. While Deckard ultimately kills all of his initial targets, he chooses to take Rachel (Sean Young) as his romantic partner and help her escape her fate.
3 Raiders of the Lost Ark (96%)
While Ford's first work with George Lucas would come in American Graffiti (1973), many look to Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) as the quintessential Lucas-Ford project. Taking on the lead role of Indiana Jones, Ford would be in the prime of his charismatic action-star career. This would be the strongest entry starting off another franchise, with Jones looking to discover the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis. While Jones would primarily work as an archaeologist, his work with the U.S. government, taking on the armed forces of the Luftwaffe, would make a stellar action film.
2 The Fugitive (96%)
One more crime-action film for the list as Harrison Ford plays a doctor who has been falsely accused of murdering his wife. Using his intelligence, the good doctor would escape prison, assume multiple identities and conduct his own personal investigation to look for the killer, all the while figuring out that the attack was intended for him, as he had revealed information that would have put a halt to a new pharmaceutical drug.
But it wouldn't be a Harrison Ford film without some good old-fashioned action scenes with plenty of guns. After convincing an officer of the truth, we'd see Ford finally gain justice for his wife and end the film fully acquitted of the crime.
1 The Conversation (97%)
While Ford may not be the lead, his performance was engaging and enrapturing as Martin Stett, a man who Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) discovers has had an affair with the wife of a man known only as The Director. Ford's performance helps to sell that there is something amiss from the beginning.
After Harry discovers that The Director has been murdered, Stett proceeds to casually threaten Harry, playing a recording that appears to have come from Harry's own home, causing Harry to have a panic attack. These small nuances prove that Ford is more than just an action star, and is capable of making or breaking a film with the smallest of interactions.
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