The White House apparently shares your concerns. Although the quality of the ensuing debate reminds me of City Council meetings down here in New Orleans:

Affleck: "This movie wants to raise awareness..."

Bush official: "I, myself, have serious, serious reservations ...how it may alarm the public? How it very well may lead to a numbing-down of actual warnings that are issued."

Affleck: "There is something to be said for awareness..."

Studio flog: "I doubt any viewer will confuse this motion picture with reality."

Studio flog: "And I think you'll find the marketing reflects this."

...not to mention, Freeman looks vaguely like he just smelled one of Affleck's farts and is trying hard not to show it...

Because Tom Hanks is getting too old for this shit.

Actually, it strikes me that the "Jack Ryan" character has now become the country cousin of James Bond. In later years will we reflect on the "Ben Affleck is Timothy Dalton" era? Will people argue over whether Harrison Ford was a better Ryan than Alec Baldwin?

Ah well. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys the Ryan films better than the Bond films. Word to the studios: while I will normally passively not attend a Ryan film, if Affleck is involved I will be actively imploring people not to go.

After all, they might make another one.