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In an ideal world, every single movie would be good enough for both the audience and the critics to enjoy. Unfortunately, that's not how it works, and some movies just manage to miss the mark even though they sounded good on paper and many people were looking forward to seeing them.
Oftentimes, the actors aren't the ones responsible for the movie being underwhelming, and instead, the script's the one to blame. While it's not an iron rule, it often happens that some talented actors give strong performances even in movies that otherwise have their fair share of mistakes and aren't as good as they could have been. But because of the actors' performance, they're still worth watching.
7 Karel Roden – 15 Minutes
While the 2001 movie 15 Minutes turns out to be a perfectly average action flick, Karel Roden's performance as the murderer Emil Slovak is chilling, and one of the best aspects of the movie. Even famed and talented actors such as Robert De Niro have given better performances elsewhere since the movie doesn't give them much material to work with.
Roden, however, steals every scene he appears in for himself, and it's easy to see why he's one of the most successful Czech actors working actively in Hollywood to this day.
6 Jessica Rothe – Happy Death Day 2U
The first horror-comedy Happy Death Day offered an original idea. It focused on the somewhat spoiled and arrogant student Tree who transforms into a better person after she gets caught in a time loop and ends up murdered on every occasion!
The sequel works with the same idea, except this time, it delves deeper into the workings of the time loop, and is no longer as clever or captivating as its predecessor. However, Jessica Rothe as Tree once again gives a strong performance, so even the sequel is still enjoyable thanks to her dedication to the role.
5 Margot Robbie – Suicide Squad
When Suicide Squad premiered in 2016, not many people expected Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn would go on to steal the movie for herself. Yet that's exactly what happened, so when The Suicide Squad premiered last year, Harley was at the center of it, unlike most of her team members from the previous movie.
And no one should forget Harley's adventure in Birds of Prey (2020). Robbie brings an unexpected depth to a character that could easily turn into a caricature in the hands of a less experienced actress. And Harley's sense of humor as well as her intelligence and vulnerability that shine through her over-the-top demeanor make her one of the DCEU fan-favorites.
4 Michael Fassbender – X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Of all the new X-Men movies, many fans consider Dark Phoenix the weakest one. It's not the fault of the actors, though, who do their best, but the script doesn't really know how to work with their characters. A good example is Evan Peters as Quicksilver who barely appears in the movie before getting injured because his powers would solve the crisis in a much shorter time.
But the one actor who stands out among the rest is Michael Fassbender as Magneto. Fassbender brings gravitas to the role that his younger and less experienced colleagues lack. So even though Magneto doesn't have much space in the movie, he still comes across as believable and sympathetic in his effort to protect his fellow mutants, no matter the cost.
3 James McAvoy – Split
While Split isn't a bad movie overall, it still suffers from some storytelling issues, such as the lacking pace or dubious behavior of some characters. One area in which it isn't lacking, however, is the casting.
James McAvoy took on the uneasy task of portraying multiple personalities in one body. He manages to differentiate them in a way that makes all the characters, be they heroes or villains, immediately recognizable. So even though the rest of the cast is also excellent, it's McAvoy who dominates the movie.
2 Thomas Hayden Church – Spider-Man 3
Of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man 3 is universally perceived as the weakest link. The portrayal of Venom that leaves a lot to be desired doesn't help the movie in the slightest, as well as the overabundance of villains. However, Thomas Hayden Church's performance as Sandman stands out. Once again, just like Alfred Molina's Doctor Octopus, for example, Sandman comes across as a more tragic figure than an actual villain.
So even though Church's Flint Marko fights Spider-Man, it's still easy to see where he's coming from. Thomas Hayden Church proved that his strong portrayal of Sandman wasn't a coincidence when he repeated his role in the 2021 successful movie Spider-Man: No Way Home.
1 Adam Driver – Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker
There are many things the fans weren't so happy with in the movie, such as the fates of certain characters or inconsistencies in the use of the Force. But one thing that The Rise of Skywalker has going for it is Adam Driver's performance as Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren.
After two movies suggesting that Kylo Ren might be more conflicted than his minions believe, and perhaps even have the power to return to the light side, this movie finally finishes his transformation into one of the good guys. Ben saves Rey's life and sacrifices himself in the process. Driver manages to sell every moment of his character's development.