Obviously, the comic book movie on everyone's lips these days is Superman Returns, and how appropriate the casting of newcomer Brandon Routh is, given his striking resemblance to the late, great Christopher Reeve. Well, while the physical resemblance is undeniable, as well as the awkward acting, I dare say there have, in the last few years, been better casting decisions, in terms of how well the chosen actor fleshed out the character described in the comics and eventually envisioned in the script. By this standard, I feel that Routh is less a man of steel and more an actor of wood, and devoid of Reeve's charisma.
I've decided to skip the more obvious casting triumphs like Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, which by common knowledge was a huge component of the franchise's success so far, or Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, or even Christian Bale as Batman, and highlight what I feel were some real gems over the last few years. I've even included supporting characters. In no particular order, they are:
1. Paul Giamatti as Harvey Pekar (American Splendor). This guy deserved, at the very least, an Oscar nomination for this role. Granted, it wasn't hard for him to play someone as schleppy as Pekar considering both his looks and his prior resume, but in coming up with this list I was less concerned about the effort it took to bring the character to life but the accuracy with which it was done. We have an instant point of comparison as by some self-indulgent script device Harvey Pekar appears frequently throughout Splendor to lend his thoughts to the viewer. This was some truly brilliant work, and it's nice to see Giamatti getting his due, with the lead role in M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water.
2. Chris Evans and Michael Chiklis as the Human Torch and the Thing, respectively (Fantastic Four). This movie has been widely reviled, by fanboys, viewers and critics alike, and yet one can't argue that for a relatively cheap budget, Fox and Marvel churned out a certified box office hit. I attribute this to the chemistry between the Thing and the Torch, which was, for me, taken right out of the comics. They're listed together because it is the way they play off each other that is something special to behold. Evans' cocky Johnny Storm played perfectly against Chiklis' gravelly Ben Grimm. These two guys saved the day for me, injecting an otherwise forgettable, cookie-cutter superhero movie with generous helpings of fun.
3. Cliff Robertson as Uncle Ben (Spider-Man). The man whose death transforms Peter Parker from self-absorbed teen to New York City's greatest hero is brought to life with haunting poignancy by Oscar-winner Robertson. While his toupee (at least that's what I think it is) is admittedly a little distracting, this guy plays the perfect father figure to Peter, and when he dies it hits the audiences every bit as hard as it hits Peter. Rosemary Harris' Aunt May is also pleasant to watch, but this guy's performance stands out.
4. Michael Caine as Alfred (Batman Begins). It's funny how Oscar-winning Caine and his Cider House Rules co-star Tobey Maguire went on to star in very different comic book movies, but at least each of them brings the appropriate heft to his respective role. It's truly pleasant how Caine breaks Alfred out of the English butler cliche and presents us instead with a more proactive vision of the guy, dumping the traditional, Bonny Prince Charlie enunciation for his trademark cockney accent. He is the perfect foil to Bale's brooding Bruce Wayne.
5. Linus Roache as Thomas Wayne (Batman Begins). This is notable for much the same reason that Cliff Robertson's Uncle Ben is memorable, but the difference here is that this role is considerable smaller. That notwithstanding, Roache (the gay priest in Priest) managed to give a lot of dimension to it. We know how pivotal the death of Bruce Wayne's parents is to the eventual decision he makes to become Batman, but Linus Roache makes us understand it.
6. J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson (Spider-Man). This one's so obvious I shouldn't even have to put it, although I didn't want anyone to think I'd forgotten him. 'Nuff said.
7. Sam Elliot as "Thunderbolt" Ross (Hulk). This is another movie that was widely reviled, and while I (as one of the three or four people on the planet who liked it) will concede that the casting of Bruce Banner and Betty Ross (as well as Nick Nolte) was less than ideal, I don't think anyone who has read the Hulk comics will argue with me when I say that Elliot was Ross personified from his imposing build down to his freaking mustache, down to his deep voice and scowl. The best part is how he added dimension to the character.
8. Jon Favreau as "Foggy" Nelson (Daredevil). The script of this movie sorely underutilized Foggy's character, which is sad considering how important a role he plays is the comics, but Favreau plays the character as best he can, being a lot more enjoyable to watch than Ben Affleck's wince-inducing Matt Murdock.
9. Kelsey Grammer as Hank "Beast" McCoy (X-Men 3: The Last Stand). Yeah, baby! A fan favorite that Bryan Singer couldn't make room for in two X-Men movies finally found his way into the franchise, thanks to aborted director Matthew Vaughn. While the casting of the whiny, irritating Ben Foster (Punisher, Six Feet Under) as Angel really pissed me off considering I would have wanted the role to go to someone a little more high profile, Grammer's inclusion in the last film made up for it. His delivery of the Beast's famous line, "oh my stars and garters" is one for the ages, really.
10. Shelly Duvall as Olive Oyl (Popeye). I know, where the fuck did that come from, right? Anyway, there wasn't really much for her to do, as the whole movie was camped up to the hilt, but she was a lot of fun to watch, all things considered.
Maybe next time I'll do the worst comic-book movie casting I can think of...
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