- 6 months ago
Everything was in place to create memorable characters, but these actors missed the mark.
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00:00A character requires several factors to become a cinematic standout.
00:04Compelling writing, clever dialogue, clear and reasonable motivations and narrative impact
00:10are just some of the tools needed to turn these archetypes into compelling, fully realised roles.
00:15However, all these factors can fall flat if the performance meant to bring them together lacks the skill to do so.
00:22So with that in mind, I'm Ellie for WhatCulture here with 10 Amazing Movie Roles Ruined by Terrible Actors.
00:3010. Neander Wallace, Jared Leto, Blade Runner 2049
00:34Blade Runner 2049 is one of the few legacy sequels that improves upon what came before.
00:40The 2017 Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi thriller is an atmospheric and visually striking feature
00:46that honours and builds upon the original's themes of the value of non-human life
00:51and the role of technology in an increasingly bleak future.
00:54The performances match the film's imagery and thematic content
00:57as the likes of Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford and Ana de Armes are all brilliant
01:01and fit with the dystopian Los Angeles setting.
01:05Unfortunately, Jared Leto's villainous Neander Wallace threatens to drag down proceedings
01:09due to the actor's unusual performance choices.
01:12Some would argue that Wallace's unnerving sense of self-importance and eccentricity
01:17would fit someone like Leto.
01:18But the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman comes across as dull and uninvested rather than cold and calculating.
01:24The most egregious instance of his acting hurting the movie's impact
01:29is during the reveal that he had a duplicate Rachel designed to win over Deckard's trust.
01:34Here, the Wallace Corporation's CEO should feel like he is on top of things,
01:38but due to Leto's performance, he feels woefully detached from the scene's narrative and emotional impact.
01:449. Balian, Orlando Bloom, Kingdom of Heaven
01:48Just like with a handful of Ridley Scott's features, Kingdom of Heaven is significantly better in its director's cut.
01:55This extended edition of the epic historical feature expands on various narrative events,
02:00gives the battle scenes a more visceral feel,
02:03and ensures that character motivations and actions have better context behind them.
02:07However, for all of its improvements,
02:09the lengthier version of the 2005 film cannot account for Orlando Bloom's unconvincing performance as the Crusader, Balian.
02:18Before this feature, Bloom had important yet ultimately supporting roles in The Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean franchises,
02:25as well as another historical epic in Troy.
02:28Prior to its release, Kingdom of Heaven was his chance to prove his mettle as a leading man.
02:33Unfortunately, the actor was woefully miscast,
02:36and lacked the grizzled charisma and screen presence to convincingly sell his character's battle-hardened nature and intensity.
02:44As a result, he was outshunned by far more compelling performances from the likes of Jeremy Irons and Edward Norton,
02:50and never truly felt like a man capable of leading entire armies into war.
02:558. Mary Corleone, Sofia Coppola, The Godfather Part 3
03:00In any other franchise, The Godfather Part 3 would have been a solid enough trilogy capper,
03:05but it had the misfortune of being the follow-up to two of the greatest filmmaking achievements in the medium.
03:11Good unfortunately cannot measure up to great,
03:13but despite this, the 1990 crime epic is still an impressive filmmaking endeavour.
03:18One thing that nearly every fan and critic agree upon is that Sofia Coppola's performance as Mary Corleone
03:24is easily the worst thing in the trilogy.
03:26Replacing Winona Ryder, who left due to health concerns,
03:30the future director's lack of acting chops and experience worked against her in the third Godfather picture,
03:36and she failed to capture Mary's naivety and innocence in a manner that was not grating and eye-rolling.
03:42In the younger Coppola's defence, The Godfather Part 3 was a hellish cinematic undertaking,
03:46and she was a last-minute replacement.
03:48But that still does not excuse her from not giving life to a potentially interesting foil
03:53to the criminal element of the Corleone family.
03:55Number 7. Rachel Dawes, Katie Holmes, Batman Begins
03:59A notable number of cinephiles have criticised Christopher Nolan's handling of female characters in his movies.
04:06To be fair, there is some merit to this,
04:09as features such as The Dark Knight Rises, Tenet, and The Prestige lack compelling women figures.
04:14On the other hand, films such as Interstellar and The Dark Knight fare much better in this regard.
04:19The latter is particularly interesting, as its main female lead, Rachel Dawes,
04:24was far from interesting in her trilogy bow.
04:27The assistant district attorney's role in Batman Begins was not particularly layered,
04:31and Katie Holmes' portrayal did nothing to help matters.
04:35Holmes lacked the gravitas to convey Dawes' growing resolve in cleaning up Gotham,
04:39and her chemistry with Bruce was lacking.
04:42After the Dawson's Creek actress left the role before The Dark Knight,
04:45she was replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal,
04:47and it was clear that the character had a lot more to offer towards the wider story,
04:51as well as Bruce's own growth as a hero.
04:54Number 6. Jenny Everdeen, Cameron Diaz, Gangs of New York
04:57Though not quite near the top of his incredible filmography,
05:01Gangs of New York is still a stunning period epic from the inimitable Martin Scorsese.
05:06From its detailed production design, unrelenting tone,
05:09and towering performance from the great Daniel Day-Lewis,
05:12the 2002 feature is a fascinating look at mid-19th century New York.
05:17Despite its numerous positive attributes,
05:19there is one aspect of the film that has come in for heavy criticism,
05:23and that is Cameron Diaz's performance as Jenny Everdeen.
05:26On paper, an immigrant who turns to a life of pickpocketing to survive is compelling,
05:31and in the hands of a capable actress would have been a worthwhile addition to the story.
05:35Unfortunately, Diaz does nothing to convey her character's struggles,
05:39and has next to no chemistry with Leonardo DiCaprio.
05:42Even more egregiously, her attempt at an Irish accent was laughable to say the least,
05:47and served to derail an already iffy performance.
05:51Number 5. Jonathan Harker, Keanu Reeves, Bram Stoker's Dracula
05:56Another film on this list from the legendary Francis Ford Coppola,
06:00Bram Stoker's Dracula does justice by its legendary titular character,
06:03and true to form features stunning production values
06:06befitting of the lavishness of the story's setting and era.
06:10It features stellar performances from the likes of Gary Oldman,
06:13Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder,
06:15and its thematic ambitions are admirably executed.
06:19However, for all its winning qualities,
06:21it has one flaw that unfortunately some people remember it for.
06:25Now, Keanu Reeves' acting style works best for minimalist and stoic roles,
06:29but for a character as ever-changing and expressive as Jonathan Harker,
06:32his abilities fall flat.
06:35The actor cannot convey Harker's response to the events he experiences,
06:39nor can he effectively showcase his woes after his capture and that of his lover.
06:44Furthermore, while Reeves has never been known for his range,
06:47especially as far as accents go,
06:49his English cadence leaves a lot to be desired
06:51and undercuts any kind of drama or tension that could be mined from the story.
06:55Number 4. Diana Prince slash Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot, DCEU
07:01The DCEU unfortunately mishandled many of its characters,
07:05but there were diamonds in the rough,
07:06from Harley Quinn to Peacemaker and Billy Batson.
07:09Not Shazam, to be clear.
07:11There were a few bright spots in the beleaguered saga.
07:14However, the case of Wonder Woman is an interesting one.
07:18The Amazon demigod is undeniably likeable
07:20and goes through an interesting arc, for the most part.
07:23But whatever potential the iconic hero has
07:25is immediately undermined by Gal Gadot's increasingly bland performance.
07:30Despite a charming enough start in films like Batman v Superman and Wonder Woman,
07:34Gadot's turn in both versions of Justice League, Wonder Woman 84,
07:38and her baffling cameo in Shazam 2 and The Flash
07:41made it clear that she lacked the range and depth to embody Diana's storied life
07:46as well as her status as a premier DCEU hero and godly powerhouse.
07:50Number 3. James Bond, George Lazen,
07:53on Her Majesty's Secret Service
07:55Replacing a beloved actor in an iconic role these days
07:59is a daunting prospect for nearly any performer,
08:02and it was no different in the 1960s.
08:04After Sean Connery left his career-defining role as 007
08:08following salary disagreements,
08:10he was replaced by Australian model and upcoming actor George Lazenby
08:13in the sixth franchise entry on Her Majesty's Secret Service.
08:17The 1969 actioner initially received mixed reviews upon its release,
08:22but with the passing of time,
08:23has been fortunate to experience an appraisal of sorts among Bond lovers.
08:27Many agree that it ticks all the franchise beats
08:29and features a level of emotional depth
08:31rarely seen in the series up until that point.
08:34Unfortunately, Lazenby is also what audiences agree upon
08:38as the one factor holding the film back from greatness.
08:41While he is not as bad as older reviews would suggest,
08:44his lack of acting experience at the time placed him in Connery's shadow
08:48and held some of the story's pathos from really hitting its stride.
08:52Ultimately, this is a case of a perfectly average performance
08:55being overshadowed by appearing in a franchise-defining movie
08:58and by following a genre-defining performance.
09:02Number 2. Dina Jones, Beyonce, Dreamgirls.
09:05There are a few contemporary musicians who are as influential as Beyonce.
09:10The former Destiny's Child member has gone from strength to strength
09:14in the decade since her debut
09:15and is renowned the world over for her vocals and performance abilities.
09:20Unfortunately, this talent does not extend to her acting abilities
09:23as the drunken love singer has repeatedly shown
09:26that the discipline does not come naturally to her.
09:29This is especially true in 2006's Dreamgirls
09:32where the musical powerhouse falls flat
09:34while going against the likes of Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy
09:37and an Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson.
09:40The Dream's lead singer's journey from a shy upcoming singer
09:43to a jaded music idol was compelling,
09:45but the iconic singer lacked the acting chops
09:47to effectively convey Jones' growth,
09:50internal and external turmoil
09:52and relationships with characters such as Effie White and Curtis Taylor.
09:56Her scenes with these two in particular
09:57serve to highlight her limitations as an actress,
10:00as she comes across as wooden compared to the fiery presence of Foxx and Hudson.
10:04Fortunately, Beyonce is far from reliant on her acting career
10:08and if her work on Black is King is any indication,
10:11she might have a promising career as a director.
10:13Number 1. Johnny Wilcox, Jake Gyllenhaal, Okja
10:16Bong Joon-ho's 2017 sci-fi adventure dramedy Okja
10:20is a stunning balancing act between various tones and ideas.
10:24Part body horror, part social commentary
10:26and part heartwarming tale between a young girl and her unusual pet,
10:30the Netflix feature is another strong offering
10:32from the outstanding South Korean filmmaker.
10:35The performances are just as good as the material they were given to work with.
10:39However, one actor in the list took the eccentric nature of the story
10:43a bit too seriously
10:44and as a result gave a resoundingly awful performance.
10:48Jake Gyllenhaal's deranged zoologist
10:50was supposed to be over the top and disconcerting,
10:53but the Nightcrawler actor is too all over the place
10:55to bring his character's tics, grating voice
10:57and hyperactive persona into a believable hole.
11:01And while that may have been the point of the writing behind Wilcox,
11:04Gyllenhaal should have reined things in a bit
11:06to avoid being so distracting in an otherwise well-crafted picture.
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