For the past decade, Chris Hemsworth became one of the best and highest-paid movie stars in the world. From his first film role in J.J. Abrams' 2009 version of Star Trek to his star-making turn as Thor in his solo series and The Avengers movies, Hemsworth has proven to be a leading man in the action and superhero genres.
The Australian actor is also versatile in comedies like Vacation and the Ghostbusters reboot, dramas such as 12 Strong, and thrillers including A Perfect Getaway and Bad Times at the El Royale. Reminiscent of Sylvester Stallone and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Hemsworth is a charismatic actor with tremendous physicality and emotion who always delivers a committed performance. Besides his performances as Thor, here are Hemsworth's five best film roles to date.
Men In Black: International
The fourth film in the Men In Black series marks the first time leading stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are not part of the franchise. In this sequel, Chris Hemsworth is the protagonist Henry (aka Agent H), who works for the Men In Black branch in London. H is cocky and arrogant due to his belief that he is the best MIB agent, but when he's partnered with rookie Molly Wright (Agent M), H slowly becomes humble and they both develop some nice camaraderie when pursuing evil aliens, including a mole in the agency.
This sequel has a troubled production history and failed to meet expectations both at the box office and in critical reviews. However, there are some clever chases and action sequences, as well as innovative gadgets and alien creatures that provide a nice throwback to the previous films in the franchise. Hemsworth is also funny and charismatic as H, an agent who is self-centered but skilled and intelligent at his job. H has terrific chemistry with Agent M (played by Tessa Thompson) due to their hilarious banter and genuine interest in each other (Hemsworth and Thompson also worked well together in Thor: Ragnarok).
Blackhat
In Michael Mann's action thriller, Hemsworth portrays Nicholas Hathaway, a convicted computer hacker who is temporarily released from prison in order to help the FBI capture another hacker who is responsible for destroying a nuclear plant in Hong Kong. Hathaway uses computers, cell phones, and surveillance cameras to assist the FBI during the course of their investigation, while also developing a romantic relationship with a network engineer named Chen Lien (the sister of Captain Chen Dawai, Hathaway's friend and college roommate who works for the People's Liberation Army in China and is in charge of the case).
Blackhat is not one of Michael Mann's most memorable films compared to Heat and Collateral, but this movie still contains some loud and thrilling shootouts and intense fight scenes. Hemsworth's performance was criticized since he's considered too hunky and macho to be a believable computer hacker. However, Hemsworth makes Hathaway a versatile character by establishing his efficiency with technology, while also being a tough guy who can defend himself against some ruthless villains (especially in a clever final showdown).
Rush
Oscar winner Ron Howard directed this biographical sports feature starring Hemsworth as British race car driver James Hunt and Daniel Brühl as Austrian Formula One driver Niki Lauda. The film focuses on the rivalry between Hunt and Lauda during the 1976 racing season, which depicts both drivers dealing with wins and losses. When it comes to racing, Hunt is egotistical and self-assertive, while Lauda is more focused and technically precise.
Hemsworth delivers one of his best dramatic performances as Hunt by depicting his brashness and competitiveness as a racer, while also showing some compassion for his opponent Lauda. There's a crucial scene in the film where Hunt attacks a reporter for criticizing and insulting Lauda after he suffered third-degree burns during a car crash at the German Grand Prix. Hunt is the complete opposite of Lauda due to his high, luxurious lifestyle of sex, drug use, and fame, while Lauda is strictly focused on practicing and preparing for each race. Despite their rivalry, both racers have mutual respect for each other as tough competitors determined to win.
Snow White and the Huntsman
A decade ago, Hemsworth starred in this gritty, live-action version of the Snow White fairy tale. In this film, Hemsworth portrays Eric the Huntsman, a strong warrior who is skilled in combat, especially with axes and knives. Eric is also an efficient tracker, which is why he's ordered by the evil Queen Ravenna to capture her stepdaughter Snow White. However, when Eric realizes that Ravenna wants her stepdaughter dead, he ends up helping Snow White and her army (including the dwarfs) in order to overthrow the Queen.
Hemsworth brings plenty of aggressive action and emotion to the role of Eric the Huntsman, a man who is depressed and drunk after losing his wife Sara. However, Eric finds redemption when he encounters Snow White, a strong woman like Sara who is caring towards others. Eric also becomes a mentor to Snow White when it comes to battle, and saves her life with a kiss that signifies his respect and admiration for her. Eric has some great moments in battle, especially when he takes down the Queen's brother, Finn (who was directly responsible for Sara's murder).
Extraction
This action thriller reunites Hemsworth with the Russo brothers (known for directing MCU features like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame). Hemsworth plays Tyler Rake, an ex-special forces agent turned black ops mercenary who is assigned to rescue a young man named Ovi Mahajan (the son of an imprisoned Indian drug lord) after he was kidnaped by a rival drug kingpin. The film is essentially a non-stop chase picture in which Tyler battles numerous villains in order to protect Ovi and take him back home.
Extraction broke viewership records by becoming the most-watched Netflix original film and had a mostly positive critical reception. However, there were some fair criticisms, such as the story containing elements of the white savior narrative, and a lot of violent sequences resembling the style of the John Wick series. Despite this, Hemsworth delivers another powerful performance as Rake, reminiscent of his role in Snow White and the Huntsman in terms of portraying an emotionally charged protagonist struggling with the loss of a loved one (here Rake mourns the loss of his son) and feels obligated to care for Ovi like his own child. The action is also well-choreographed, including a long 12-minute take in which Rake fights through several bad guys in a car chase, along with a combination of shootouts and hand-to-hand combat.