Summary

• The Hunt for Red October (1990) is a great introduction to Tom Clancy's works and the character of Jack Ryan, capturing the tension of Clancy's novels in a Cold War setting. Alec Baldwin delivers an exceptional performance as Ryan.
• Clear and Present Danger (1994) is a direct sequel to Patriot Games, maintaining intense momentum and featuring Harrison Ford's powerful lead performance as Jack Ryan. With twists and turns, this film showcases the complexity of Clancy's stories.
• Without Remorse (2021) is a standalone Tom Clancy movie that follows an elite Navy SEAL seeking revenge. Though it lacks the political intrigue and character development of Jack Ryan's stories, it explores similar themes.

Tom Clancy movies have found great success in adapting the work of the popular American author, but the best order in which to watch them can be a little confusing. Clancy wrote plenty of stories throughout his extensive career, and while they’re not all connected to each other, some of his characters and stories cross over throughout different series, so it can be beneficial to follow the movies similarly. Clancy’s works have also been adapted into several TV series, video games, and even comic books.

The author’s most famous character is Jack Ryan, a former U.S. Marine and stockbroker who later joins the CIA and leads some hugely important international missions. On streaming, the Jack Ryan TV series ran for four seasons with John Krasinski in the titular role. However, in the several movie adaptations of Tom Clancy’s works, there have been a handful of actors who have portrayed Jack Ryan. In addition to that franchise, two movies based on Tom Clancy novels do not feature or connect to the Jack Ryan character at all.

The Hunt For Red October (1990)

Jack Ryan Searches For A Missing Russian Submarine

The film adaptation of The Hunt for Red October was the first instance of Tom Clancy’s works being adapted into a movie, and for the most part, it worked surprisingly well. The story follows Jack Ryan as he attempts to track down an approaching Soviet submarine before it’s given the opportunity to attack, attempting to prove that it’s not a threat before the American government decides to destroy it. The film perfectly captures the tension of Clancy’s novels, using this Cold War setting to maintain a level of intensity that never goes away, even in the movie’s quietest moments.

The Hunt for Red October is the perfect place to start for any newcomer to Tom Clancy’s works, as it introduces the character of Jack Ryan without assuming any prior knowledge. It gives all the necessary insight into his past, displaying exactly how he has become the person that he now is, and Alec Baldwin’s performance as the character is among the best there has ever been. It might not be the most effective or entertaining Clancy adaptation, but it makes for a great introduction.

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Patriot Games (1992)

Jack Ryan And His Family Are Targeted By Irish Terrorists

Patriot Games is a very simple adaptation of one of Tom Clancy’s works, and while it’s not perfect, it’s got a fairly basic story that’s easy to understand without much knowledge of the Jack Ryan character. Directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Harrison Ford as Ryan, the thriller chronicles the character's successful interference in an attempted IRA assassination, which leads to a renegade faction targeting his family as revenge. It’s high-stakes and high-intensity, but it’s much less philosophical and thematic than movies like The Hunt For Red October. It’s a nice palette-cleanser that allows audiences to get used to Ryan’s character before engaging with the more fascinating stories.

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Clear And Present Danger (1994)

Jack Ryan Is In The Center Of An Illegal CIA Operation

Clear and Present Danger was the first direct on-screen sequel to a Jack Ryan movie, and it’s for that reason that it works so well. With Harrison Ford returning to the role, the movie doesn’t have to spend any time introducing the character. It dives straight into the story and maintains that intensity throughout. It’s a simple premise, with Ryan finding himself caught up in a war between the U.S. government and a Colombian drug cartel, but it’s filled with twists and turns that are synonymous with Tom Clancy’s stories.

Clear and Present Danger follows directly from Patriot Games, which helps with the momentum of the story since audiences are already familiar with all the characters and their complex relationships. The film’s powerful lead performance also proves why Harrison Ford is the best of the actors to play Jack Ryan, constantly pushing the story forward and maintaining a much-needed sense of charm and wit.

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NetForce (1999)

A Stand-Alone Thriller Of The FBI Taking On Cyber Crime

NetForce was the first of Tom Clancy's film adaptations that don’t draw from his Jack Ryan works but rather focus on a completely different story with a separate roster of characters. The plot of NetForce follows a division of the FBI dedicated to investigating cyber crimes, which sets out to prevent a dangerous millionaire from taking control of the entire internet. It’s very different from Clancy’s other adaptations, not just because it’s disconnected from the rest, but in its themes and genre, too. It lacks the gritty realism of Jack Ryan’s stories, sacrificing this element for a more futuristic take on large-scale crime.

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The Sum Of All Fears (2002)

Jack Ryan Fights To Prevent A Nuclear War

The Sum of All Fears sees Ben Affleck take over the role of Jack Ryan, who attempts to settle the tensions between Russia and the U.S. after a nuclear bomb is tested on American soil. This movie isn’t directly connected to Patriot Games or Clear and Present Danger, as it serves as a standalone adventure that essentially exists in a rebooted universe. The Sum of All Fears brought a whole new wave of popularity to the Jack Ryan movies, giving them a distinct style that no longer rooted them so firmly in the ‘90s and opened the door for new adventures.

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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

An Origin Story Of Jack Ryan's First CIA Mission

It was over a decade before Jack Ryan returned to screens again — this time in another rebooted universe with Chris Pine as the titular character. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit tells the story of the CIA analyst’s attempts to prevent a deadly terrorist attack that’s set to happen within the next few days and crash the U.S. economy. It’s a fairly simple and formulaic story that differs strongly from the ‘90s adventures while remaining true to the spirit of Tom Clancy’s character. The movie didn’t live up to expectations given the popularity of Ford and Affleck’s films, but it effectively introduced the character to a new generation.

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Without Remorse (2021)

John Kelly Goes On A Mission Of Revenge

Without Remorse is another Tom Clancy movie that doesn’t take place in the Jack Ryan universe, though it involves many of the same themes. This movie follows an elite Navy SEAL named John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan), who uncovers an international conspiracy while seeking revenge for the deaths of his wife and unborn child. Like NetForce, Without Remorse lacks the political intrigue and character development of Jack Ryan’s stories, leaving it comparatively flat. It’s completely separate from the rest of the Tom Clancy movies, though it could have benefited from some connection to stories that audiences already know and love — especially since Without Remorse differs from the book anyway.

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