A superhero movie can be a Marvel-ous opportunity for an actor to unfold their talents. A well-chosen cast, a clever script, and skillful direction have come together to produce some unforgettable classics in the superhero genre like The Dark Knight, Black Panther, and Deadpool.
The problem is that train-wrecks like Daredevil (the movie), Green Lantern, and Suicide Squad can also occur. And many a time, an actor will find themselves on both ends of the scale. However, this list proves that a career can rise again from its ashes and be salvaged from even the worst superhero films cinema has to offer.
10 Sylvester Stallone – Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 & Judge Dredd
Yes, all the way back to the ancient history of the nineties, Stallone was Judge Dredd. And it was awful; the 2012 iteration was superior in every way. In Judge Dredd, Stallone plays a Judge – a kind of police who decide and enact the sentence right away – in an overpopulated USA on the brink of chaos.
The acting was awkward and the film was audacious towards the source material. But Stallone was definitely an enjoyable cameo in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord, a high-ranking Ravager who has a long-standing rivalry with Yondu.
9 Willem Dafoe – Aquaman & Spiderman 3
Aquaman may not have been the best film in the DCEU (Wonder Woman holds that title so far), but it was definitely one of the best. Jason Momoa’s portrayal of the character was authentic and simply badass. Dafoe delivers a great portrayal of Nuidis Vulko, Atlantis’s vizier and Arthur/Aquaman’s mentor and trainer who sends him on the quest for the Trident of Atlan.
As for Spiderman 3, well, what more need be said? Definitely silly and the weakest of the original franchise, but still not the worst “bad” movie of the list. Willem Dafoe briefly appears as Norman Osborn / Green Goblin in a vision to his son, Harry.
8 Djimon Hounsou – Guardians Of The Galaxy & Constantine
Who had forgotten about Constantine with Keanu Reeves? While the acting in this film was fine enough, even the best performances on the planet could not have saved this script (it was a pity really, considering was a masterpiece Hellblazer is).
Djimon Hounsou plays Papa Midnite, a past witch-doctor, a former enemy of Hell, and owner of a nightclub that provides a neutral meeting ground between Heaven and Hell. In Guardians Of The Galaxy, Hounsou plays Korath, an intergalactic hunter and ally of Ronan the Accuser, who works for Thanos. He has stated that he took the role because of his son’s love for superheroes.
7 Tommy Lee Jones – Captain America: The First Avenger & Batman Forever
It is probably not fair to compare Jones’s Harvey Dent/ Two-Face with the idealist turned solemn and cynical character portrayed by Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Night. Eckhart had time to develop his character and he was, of course, given a notably superior script. However, Tommy Lee Jones did take the script and turn up the absurdity a hundred notches.
In an overall weird film, Jones and Jim Carrey were competing for “The Most Annoying Character” award. In Captain America: The First Avenger, a truly touching film, Jones delivered a fine enough performance as Colonel Chester Phillips; the gruff officer who is skeptical about our hero, but grows to respect him.
6 Jeffrey Dean Morgan – Watchmen & Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
In Batman V Superman, Dean Morgan portrays very briefly Bruce’s father, Thomas Wayne. The movie was neither a critical nor an audience darling, but he did not do anything to make it worse (or better, for that matter). But who can forget his incredible performance as Edward Blake, aka The Comedian, in the visually striking, gaudy darkness that was Watchmen?
The adaptation of Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel was brilliant in every aspect. From the opening sequence to its dark philosophical disposition and the characters (especially The Comedian and Rorschach), it was a film that stayed with viewers.
5 Halle Berry – X-Men & Catwoman
At a time when comic book movies were still considered inherently second-rate and children’s entertainment, X-Men shined as a film. It had some of the most brilliant superhero film casting decisions ever: Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto, and of course Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe/Storm (only going by “Storm” in the movies).
Armed with formidable weather control powers and an important position in the X-Men team, Berry's Storm was largely liked, even if she was not always given the best material. The same definitely cannot be said about her turn as Catwoman. Not only did they change the character's name and completely mess up her origin story, but the plot made no sense whatsoever.
4 Chris Evans – MCU & Push
Yes, Fantastic 4 was bad. But there also exists another bad superhero movie with Evans in the leading role from way back in 2009. Push was basically an X-Men rip-off, but instead of the mutants having unique powers, they came in neat (and lazy) categories: Watchers (basically, clairvoyants), Movers (telekinetics), Pushers (memories/thoughts implanting, essentially inception), and so on.
The film was flashy and had some impressive action, but most of the time it appeared even its creators did not know what it was about. As for Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, what can be said to do justice to his honest and moving portrayal of the kind and brave hero?
3 Gal Gadot – Wonder Woman & Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Gal Gadot was arguably the saving grace of Batman V Superman. When she entered the battle with her rocking theme and saved Batman from Doomsday with her Bracelets of Submission, people all over movie theaters cheered.
Nevertheless, Gadot's limited time in the film could not pull the sinking action back to the surface. In Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman, her character was put to much better use; she was well developed, had awesome fight scenes, and was overall the big-screen Wonder Woman fans deserved. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Wonder Woman is the 4th best superhero film of all time.
2 Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool & Blade: Trinity
Before Ryan Reynolds was in a couple of bad superhero movies, he was also in…this bad superhero movie. Do not misunderstand, Green Lantern and X-Men Origins: Wolverine are worse than Blade: Trinity, but their terribleness have been emphasized enough.
The Blade franchise was brilliant overall, but the third installment was the weakest and a waste of the immense talents of Wesley Snipes and Ryan Reynolds (who acted well regardless). As for Deadpool, the film is just fun; the hilarious breaking of the fourth wall, Wade Wilson's amazing character development, and the glorious (and dirty) jokes, this film was on point.
1 Margot Robbie – Harley Quinn: Birds Of Prey & Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad was basically a disaster with a few accidentally good moments sprinkled throughout. Some of those moments were provided by Margot Robbie’s layered and passionate portrayal of Harley Quinn. Although Jared Leto was not the best Joker the world has seen, there was chemistry between them; nevertheless, Harley was merely one character in a clumsily huge ensemble that she could not carry by herself (with Will Smith, to be fair).
As for Birds Of Prey, it did show that the studio had faith in the character, if not the ensemble, and DC was right. It was much more well-acted, cohesive, and funny than Suicide Squad could have hoped to be.
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