2. Indiana Jones - Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
I'll try to keep this from being a list of apologetic reasons for why Indy isn't at the top of the list. Let's face it, Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford are about as inseparable as a well-known prolific actor and classic character can be. Many people get typecast in roles, often because they never do anything nearly as iconic or memorable. Ford has several other endearing and well known creations, as well as a body of work that defines him separately from the famous adventurer. And yet, Indiana Jones persists as the perfect evocation of Ford's talent and star power. Although it is tempting to include the entire saga here, I see the Indy films as different beasts from the Star Wars trilogy because there's not the same through-line of intersecting character work. Indy is a slightly different concoction in each film, and Ford's performance is varied across the four films. I don't think he delivered a bad turn in any of them, honestly (although the fourth film is otherwise weak) but the centerpiece is absolutely Raiders. What makes Raiders one of my all time favorite adventure movies is the way that almost any given sequence can bear testament to the skill and artistry of any of the crew involved. Watching the film in sections allows us to see the way Ford breathes life into Indy as something more complex than a mere serialized matinee swashbuckler. There's that laconicand sardonicair that Han Solo has, but there are moments of obsession and hints at darkness in the way Indiana goes after the Grail, and there's also a showcase for the generosity of early Ford as a performer. He doesn't steal scenes, but partners with actors like John Rhys-Davies, Karen Allen and even Paul Freeman to enhance the reality of what's onscreen. Ford gives one of the few modern action performances where the wink-wink nature of the material manifests inside the character as opposed to outside of it. We never sense Ford smirking at the audience, but Indy himself is the one who's often kidding the events happening around him. You don't need me to beat on about this. Spielberg, Ford and Lucas uncovered a true treasure with this one.