No matter how captivating and immersive the story, movies with poorly written (or acted) characters don’t tend to fare too well. Interestingly enough, mediocre movies with brilliantly written and performed characters can captivate audiences just on the merit of that single performance.
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This trend is particularly noticeable in multi-entry, drawn-out franchises, but even some standalone movies are carried by the performance or writing of a single character. Whether it’s the lack of nuance in the plot or a larger-than-life performance, something about average movies with great characters just keeps audiences glued to the screens.
10Joe Brody – Godzilla
Fresh off the success that wasBreaking Bad,Bryan Cranston was probably drowning in role offers for big-budget movies. One of these movies wasGodzilla(2014), which, perhaps not unexpectedly, didn’t generate too much critical acclaim or box office success.
One thing that critics of the movie and disappointed audiences certainly appreciated was Cranston’s performance as the nuclear scientist Joe Brody. The depth and tragedy of Brody’s well-written backstory certainly helped pull off a great performance in an otherwise shallow plot, but Cranston himself added some much-needed class toGodzillaand certainly deserved more screentime than he got in that film.
9Harley Quinn – Suicide Squad
There is a lot to be said about Margot Robbie’s acting prowess and the unique appeal she brings to any role she takes on. Ever since it was announced that she would assume the role of Harley Quinn in 2016’sSuicide Squad,DC fans were overjoyed. As it turned out, theWolf of Wall StreetandFocusstar suited the character perfectly.
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The quality of the first live-actionSuicide Squadcertainly helped bringthe character of Harley Quinnto the forefront in that the movie was quite a disappointing watch, and it was clear that the writers put the most effort into fleshing out Joker’s troubled henchwoman, and Robbie made the most out of it, flawlessly making use of her comedic talent to bring Harley Quinn to life.
8Magneto – Dark Phoenix
There is a case to be made that Michael Fassbender is an actor purposefully cast to elevate poorly written scripts and outright mediocre movies. His performances in films likeAssassin’s CreedorPrometheusare frequently cited as the sole reasons why these movies are even worth seeing in the first place.
This is also the case inDark Phoenix,where Fassbender’s powerful presence as Magneto arguably carried the movie. Although it doesn’t give him nearly as much room to show his range as the other films in theX-Menprequel trilogy, Fassbender’s performance inDark Phoenixhas made fansfall in love with the iconic villainall over again, reigniting the debate of whether he should finally get a solo movie or not.
7Quicksilver – X-Men: Apocalypse
Despite its epic ambitions and the larger-than-life storyline, 2016’sX-Men: Apocalypseturned out to be a fairly average conclusion to theotherwise decent prequel trilogy. It did have a few bright spots here and there, and the brightest one of all was perhaps Evan Peters’s Quicksilver. Funny and quick-witted, he was the comic relief that the film desperately needed.
Although theAmerican Horror Storystar certainly injected a lot of his boyish charm into the character, Quicksilver’s appearance inApocalypsewill largely be remembered thanks to the epic sequence in which he saves everyone from the burning X-Mansion to the sounds of Eurythmics' iconic “Sweet Dreams.”
6Wonder Woman – Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice
Most of Zack Snyder’s DC movies are characterized by a certain “grit” that didn’t really jive well with many fans of the comic books (except for the excellentZack Snyder’s Justice League).That was certainly the case withBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,which many fans considered to be drawn-out and, quite frankly, boring.
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Despite the unnecessarily serious tone of the movie, it is still worth seeing, primarily thanks to the introduction of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman to the DC extended universe. AlthoughDawn of Justicewas also Ben Affleck’s first outing as Bruce Wayne, it is Diana Prince who steals the show.
5Eddie Brock – Venom
The casting of Topher Grace as Eddie Brock in Sam Raimi’sSpider-Man 3left many fans of the iconic villain with a terrible aftertaste. So much so that Sony didn’t attempt to reintroduce the character to the big screen until 2018’sVenom,with Tom Hardy assuming the role of Brock.
He turned out to be a perfect choice. As evidenced inSpider-Man 3,it’s not too difficult to oversimplify the character of Eddie Brock to the point of making him seem almost like a caricature. Hardy didn’t make the same mistake and put his own spin on the anti-hero, with fans proving to be so fond of his interpretation to warrant a sequel in 2021’sLet There Be Carnage.
4Lando Calrissian – Solo: A Star Wars Story
It seems as though everything that Donald Glover touches turns to gold. Wildly successful in hip-hop as Childish Gambino, he also proved to be a talented actor and screenwriter with his own FX comedy-drama,Atlanta.While he didn’t exactly manage to save the painfully predictableSolo: A Star Wars Story,his interpretation of the young Lando Calrissian oozed confidence and pure fun.
Glover’s knack for comedy and witty dialogue aside, his flawless capture of Calrissian’s essence was also aided by the actor’s extensive consultations with Billy Dee Wiliams, who played Lando in the originalStar Warsmovies.
3Sandman – Spider-Man 3
After the masterpiece that wasSpider-Man 2,everyone knew that it would be extremely difficult for the nextSpider-Manfilm to live up to the hype generated by the franchise’s die-hard fans. Expectedly, the conclusion to Sam Raimi’s trilogy ended up being a decent, but underwhelming flick.
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A lot of it was due to the lack of focus caused by the overabundance of villains, with Harry Osborne, Eddie Brock, and the Sandman all making an appearance inSpider-Man 3.The latter, played by Thomas Haden Church, however, proved to be a worthy villain, partially thanks to a believable portrayal, and partially because of the character’s intricate past with ties to Spider-Man’s origin story.
2Shaggy – Scooby-Doo
The 2002Scooby-Doofilm was doomed to failure from the very beginning. As many fans of the cartoon claimed even before the movie was released, it was simply impossible to capture what made the series so unique in the live-action format. They were not proven wrong. With a flat story, some terrible CGI, and an underwhelming cast, it was surprising that a sequel to the movie was greenlit.
The decision to create a follow-up movie could have been motivated by Matthew Lillard’s hilarious and oddly believable portrayal of Shaggy Rogers. The performance was so memorable, that it warranted acultish meme trendwell over a decade after the release of the movie.
1Darth Maul – Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
MostStar Warsfans will agree thatThe Phantom Menaceis largely a movie to be forgotten. From Jar-Jar Binks, through the questionable introduction of midichlorians as an explanation for the Force, all the way to the awkward pacing of the entire film, the movie was a near-total failure. There were, however,a few characters that saved it from being completely disgraceful.
Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn is a good example, but it was the Sith Lord Darth Maul that stole the show with his ominous presence and the emotional impact his actions have had on some of the main characters. He piqued the fandom’s interest, leading to his character being expanded upon inClone Wars.Also, avideo game focused around Maulalmost saw the light of day. Finally, a character that barely says anything throughout a movie filled with poorly-written dialogue is a quality in and of itself.
