Jack Ryan Season 2: Forget Harrison Ford and Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski all set to make the role his own
John Krasinski will be back as Agent Jack Ryan soon and this time around he's more than just a brilliant scientist in his cubicle. In the latest action-packed, high octane trailer for the Amazon Prime show, he's shown jumping off buildings, shooting thugs; he also looks leaner, meaner and fitter than he did in the pilot season.
The political thriller series was a big hit when it debuted last year. Such was the success that Amazon renewed the show for two more seasons even before the first crossed had crossed the halfway stage. Rotten Tomatoes rated the pilot with a healthy 74% on the Tomatometer while the audience rating was 88%. The first season follows the titular CIA analyst as he is wrenched from the security of his desk job into the field after discovering a string of dubious bank transfers, being carried out by a rising extremist.
The actor essayed the role of a reluctant analyst who never wanted to get back to the field to perfection. However, he does so reluctantly and in the end, manages to thwart a terrorist attack on US soil. In season 2, the plotline is loosely based Tom Clancy's novel 'Clear and Present Danger'.
The book sees Ryan becoming acting Deputy Director of Intelligence in the Central Intelligence Agency, and discovers that he is being kept in the dark by his colleagues who are conducting a covert war against a drug cartel based in Colombia.
Krasinski is the fifth actor to play the role after Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, and Chris Pine. However, they portrayed the character just once in movies and Krasinski has the fortune of fleshing out the character over the course of several seasons; this latitude gives him the opportunity to make his mark and be remembered for being Jack Ryan.
To begin with, he absolutely killed it in the first season as a smart analyst who left nothing to chance, and predictably enough rich plaudits soon followed. The Gazette directed specific approval towards Krasinski's performance, saying, "This version of Jack Ryan is relatable, but also admirable because the actor portraying him can balance so many aspects of the character with ease. Krasinski plays him so naturally, I couldn't tell where he ended and Ryan began."
The series is all set for two more seasons and this gives Krasinski an opportunity to cement his name along with the greats from the movies. And, the stars are aligned in his favor as he matches Ryan's description from Clancy's novels to the letter.
Well-built former marine? Check
Brilliant analyst? Check
Excellent on the field during missions? Check
Beside ticking all these boxes, Krasinski also introduced a more vulnerable side to the character. He still hadn't recovered from his near-death experience when he was a marine, he hadn't killed someone and he most definitely hadn't fallen in love.
These added qualities further make him a relatable character. Adding to his advantage was the fact that 'Jack Ryan' was a series and had more room to better showcase the titular character.
And, season 1 showed Ryan in the early stages of his CIA career. The end saw him promoted to T-FAD (Terror and Finance Arms Division) chief and that means Krasinski will be playing a more matured, slightly seasoned Jack Ryan. Again, an opportunity for him to establish himself alongside the heavyweights who have played the role before.
There is absolutely no doubt that Krasinski has been a great actor and his extensive credits in TV and films are proof that he can adapt to any role with consummate ease. In playing Jack Ryan, he has the opportunity every actor strives towards: to make himself synonymous with the character.
'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Season 2 is coming soon on Amazon Prime.