Harrison Ford is usually looks like he does not want to be in the movie, no matter what movie it is. It makes me feel badly for him, like, honestly, bro, if you hate acting this much, just, like, stop. You’ve got enough money.
In some rare instances, it works for the character–Blade Runner, Force Awakens.
The times where he does seem to be enjoying himself, he is fun to watch (Solo, Jones), but for most of his action star runs (Witness, Patriot Games, the one where he’s president on a plane), he is just entirely miserable.
Harrison Ford is almost unique here. The only other time I remember an actor palpably not wanting to be there was Halle Berry’s Storm in the first X-Men.
What’s the appeal?
Typecasting and a big enough paycheck.
That explains why he was acting, not why he was popular.
He was typecast into roles he excelled at, which were frequently the roles you are thinking of. Honestly the roles that I can think of where he doesn’t seem to be having fun are sequels, which he clearly doesn’t enjoy doing.
I think a funny example of him seeming to enjoy playing a role that doesn’t fit what you are pointing out that I watched again recently is Cowboys vs Aliens. In that one he is the grizzled army vet who hates Native Americans and is gruff as he has ever been but he is absolutely chewing up the scenery and not coming across as working for a paycheck.
This is a fun thread because people are bringing up Harrison Ford in movies I forgot he was in.
Yes, I remember that character in Cowboys vs Aliens… that was good times.
Popularity is weird. You might as well try to understand up/down votes