These movies aren’t all necessarily bad, but could have been stronger had the casting department made some different choices. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the films that fell short due to one actor’s performance.
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00:00 I know where the bastard sleeps.
00:02 I brought him there, to Carfax Abbey.
00:06 - Welcome to WatchMojo.
00:08 And today, we're counting down our picks
00:11 for the films that fell short
00:12 due to one actor's performance.
00:15 These movies aren't all necessarily bad,
00:17 but could have been stronger
00:18 had the casting department made some different choices.
00:21 - And you're just too proud to admit
00:22 that you're crazy about me, Dr. Jones.
00:25 - Number 10, Jared Leto, Suicide Squad.
00:29 - No, I'm not gonna kill you.
00:31 I'm just gonna hurt you, really, really bad.
00:37 - Who knew it was possible to make the Joker too weird?
00:41 After Heath Ledger's rendition
00:43 of the villain in The Dark Knight,
00:44 Jared Leto had a lot to live up to.
00:47 Going all in, he tried to convince us
00:49 the clown was part criminal boss, part deranged psychopath.
00:53 But one could say the depiction was too on the nose,
00:56 right down to the damaged face tattoo.
00:58 (snoring)
01:01 Leto's overacting and goofy facial expressions
01:08 had the opposite effect,
01:09 and probably led to more people laughing
01:11 than being intimidated.
01:12 He had proven himself as a formidable actor
01:15 in other projects,
01:16 which made this over-the-top characterization
01:18 even more confusing.
01:20 While the movie itself wasn't met with total acclaim,
01:22 his performance didn't exactly help.
01:25 - I am not someone who is loved.
01:29 (gunshot)
01:30 I'm an idea.
01:31 - Number nine, Kristen Stewart, Snow White and the Huntsman.
01:35 Stewart is a talented actress.
01:37 Just look at her performance in Spencer.
01:39 But her skills had often been criticized
01:41 prior to that project.
01:43 Her work as Bella Swan in the Twilight series
01:45 gave her the reputation of being wooden,
01:47 and her appearance in Snow White and the Huntsman
01:49 seemed to cement it.
01:51 - I will become your weapon,
01:52 forged by the fierce fire that I know is in your hearts!
01:57 - In this rendition, the princess is a fighter
01:59 who isn't taking her stepmother's murder attempts
02:01 lying down.
02:03 It could have been a cool take,
02:04 but ultimately Stewart wasn't able to sell
02:06 the role's intensity.
02:08 Some felt she wasn't on the same level
02:10 as the other performers,
02:11 particularly Charlize Theron.
02:13 - Come and avenge your father,
02:17 who was too weak to raise his sword.
02:20 - While it was nice seeing her
02:21 step out of her comfort zone,
02:23 the fantasy might have fared better
02:24 had they cast someone with more action experience.
02:27 - How do I inspire?
02:28 How will I lead men?
02:32 - Number eight, Steven Lack, Scanners.
02:35 - I feel so exposed.
02:37 I can hear myself.
02:40 - When a film is fantastic,
02:41 even the smallest errors stick out like a sore thumb.
02:44 When that error is an entire performance,
02:47 it becomes glaringly obvious.
02:49 This was the case for Scanners,
02:51 a sci-fi story about psychics
02:53 caught in wild circumstances with opposing goals.
02:56 While it was praised by many,
02:57 there was something holding it back.
02:59 Steven lacks acting.
03:01 - That means that someone here at ConSec is a traitor.
03:06 - Many found him to be lifeless and absent in emotion.
03:10 While this did make some sense for the role,
03:13 he took it so far that the result
03:14 could take one out of the experience.
03:16 His deadpan delivery came across as him bored
03:19 rather than committed to the character.
03:22 If he had emoted even a bit more,
03:24 it might have made the movie a true 10 out of 10.
03:27 - The doctors on the computer list
03:28 are giving ephemeral to their pregnant patients.
03:31 - I don't understand.
03:33 - Ephemeral.
03:34 Ephemeral is creating new Scanners.
03:38 - Number seven, Russell Crowe, Les Misérables.
03:42 - And I'm Jovell.
03:43 Do not forget my name.
03:47 - Live singing isn't everyone's strong suit.
03:50 When it was announced that the Les Misérables movie
03:52 would be sung live, audiences were intrigued.
03:54 While stars like Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway
03:57 got to flex their theater chops,
03:59 others like Russell Crowe had less raw talent to depend on.
04:03 With a smaller part,
04:04 his voice could have blended into the company.
04:06 However, he played the antagonist,
04:08 who's featured in multiple musical numbers.
04:11 - I have disgraced the uniform that I wear.
04:15 I've done you wrong, let no forgiveness be shown.
04:19 - While he more than delivered on the acting aspect,
04:22 his vocals simply couldn't hold up.
04:24 Despite his best efforts,
04:26 his more minimal stage experience ultimately shone through
04:29 and distracted from the rest of the show.
04:31 This left many theater enthusiasts wishing
04:33 that someone with stronger vocals
04:35 had portrayed Javert instead.
04:37 - Can this man be believed?
04:39 Shall his sins be forgiven?
04:44 - Number six, John Travolta, Battlefield Earth.
04:48 Following the success of 1994's Pulp Fiction,
04:51 the actor was on top of the world.
04:53 He decided to use his leverage in Hollywood
04:55 to back one film in particular, Battlefield Earth.
04:59 Unfortunately, his passion didn't translate
05:02 to a well-made project.
05:03 - Oh, I'll be damned.
05:06 - Everything about Travolta's character fell flat,
05:08 from the ridiculous look
05:10 to his unintentionally comedic rendition.
05:13 - While you were still learning how to spell your name,
05:16 I was being trained to conquer galaxies.
05:20 - He didn't do simple things that would have added depth,
05:23 such as altering his voice to match his appearance.
05:26 Considering how hard he pushed for the movie to be made,
05:28 you'd think he would have put more effort into it.
05:31 It was a massive step down from his previous work
05:34 and many couldn't believe that this was the same person
05:36 who had previously been nominated for Oscars.
05:39 - I feel like it's a test that I'm not prepared for.
05:42 - Number five, Kate Capshaw.
05:45 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
05:48 In the first installment of the Indiana Jones series,
05:51 Marion set the standard as an indie companion,
05:53 being resourceful, snappy, and independent.
05:56 So when Kate Capshaw brought a different kind
05:58 of characterization to Willie Scott in the sequel,
06:01 it left some disappointed.
06:03 - We're not sinking, we're rising!
06:06 - While Willie was more of a damsel in distress,
06:10 it's been argued that Capshaw took that direction too far.
06:13 Indeed, many felt that she didn't add to anything
06:16 beyond the romantic subplot.
06:18 The character's constant overreactions
06:20 also led to the interpretation quickly becoming one note.
06:23 - I can't go to Pancop, I'm a singer!
06:26 - So I need to call my agent.
06:28 - She isn't the only denounced companion though.
06:30 Shia LaBeouf's portrayal of Jones' son in Indiana Jones
06:34 and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
06:35 wasn't exactly unanimously loved either.
06:38 - Skid! - You're going too fast.
06:39 - It's a matter of opinion.
06:40 - Number four, Elizabeth Berkley, Showgirls.
06:44 After being known for a show catered to kids and teenagers,
06:47 it only makes sense that one would wanna break out
06:49 into more mature projects.
06:51 For Elizabeth Berkley, that meant portraying Nomi
06:54 in Showgirls, a film about a woman with aspirations
06:57 of being, well, a showgirl.
07:00 Unfortunately, after her time as straight-laced Jesse Spano,
07:03 it was hard to buy her as a troubled rebel.
07:06 - What's that, more wisdom?
07:08 I know that.
07:09 - No, you don't.
07:09 She came across as melodramatic and stilted
07:12 in many of her scenes.
07:13 And though the controversial project itself was dramatic,
07:16 she didn't show much variation in her emotions.
07:19 - Did you enjoy that out there?
07:20 - Yeah, darling, I think I did.
07:25 - While it was a valiant attempt at making it big
07:27 on the silver screen, the seriousness of the part
07:29 was too much, and it just didn't work.
07:32 - Look, I'm not interested in your problems, okay?
07:34 - Number three, Marlon Brando, The Island of Dr. Moreau.
07:39 At the peak of his career, Marlon Brando was untouchable.
07:42 With roles in everything from The Godfather
07:44 to A Streetcar Named Desire,
07:46 he quickly cemented himself as an icon.
07:49 - Hey, Stella!
07:50 - However, when it came to The Island of Dr. Moreau,
07:55 he seemed to have given up.
07:57 - Judge not, Mr. Douglas, that ye be not judged,
08:01 for by these judgments shall ye also be judged.
08:04 And let he who hath not sin cast the first stone.
08:08 - Granted, he was going through a personal crisis
08:10 at the time.
08:11 However, instead of bowing out,
08:13 he reportedly refused to learn his lines
08:15 and was generally uncooperative.
08:17 Further, he ad-libbed some scenes,
08:20 and it all culminated in a shaky
08:21 and unbecoming performance.
08:23 Considering his caliber in previous work,
08:25 it was jaw-dropping for all the wrong reasons.
08:29 It was one of his final films as well,
08:31 which only adds to the disappointment.
08:33 - And I have almost achieved perfection, you see,
08:38 of a divine creature that is pure, harmonious,
08:43 absolutely incapable of malice.
08:47 - Number two, Keanu Reeves, Bram Stoker's Dracula.
08:51 We know, we know, everybody loves Keanu Reeves,
08:55 us included,
08:56 but even the most beloved stars fumble the ball sometimes.
08:59 - I've seen many strange things already.
09:02 Bloody wolves chasing me through some blue inferno.
09:05 - This is most apparent in his portrayal
09:07 of Jonathan in Bram Stoker's Dracula.
09:10 As a horror flick, it differed from his previous work
09:13 and gave him the opportunity to try something new.
09:16 However, it soon became clear that it wasn't quite a match.
09:20 - No, let them go!
09:21 Let them go!
09:22 Our work is finished here.
09:24 Ours has just begun.
09:27 - Compared to more seasoned members of the cast,
09:29 like Gary Oldman, he didn't really match up.
09:31 Between his lackluster attempt at an English accent
09:34 and his unintentionally hilarious dramatic scenes,
09:37 it was clear he was the wrong choice.
09:40 Many have lamented that the end result
09:42 would have been drastically better
09:43 had they found someone who could properly sell the part.
09:46 - I doubted everything, even my mind.
09:51 I was impotent with fear.
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10:07 - Number one, Sofia Coppola, "The Godfather Part III."
10:13 - Here is $100 million for the poor of Sicily.
10:17 The name of Vito Corleone.
10:19 - Considering how impactful
10:20 the first two "Godfather" films were,
10:22 it's wild that Francis Ford Coppola took a chance
10:25 on the third by casting his daughter as Mary Corleone.
10:29 If she had been an extra or had a side part,
10:32 it would have been fine, but her role was vital.
10:35 Sofia was simply too green
10:36 compared to the other cast members,
10:38 many of whom had been working for decades,
10:40 and she lacked spirit.
10:42 Indeed, her performance was panned by numerous critics
10:45 who felt she had been entirely miscast.
10:48 - No. - Obey me on this, Mary.
10:50 - No, Dad.
10:51 - In fact, her inclusion is considered by many
10:56 to be the worst aspect of the feature.
10:58 Luckily, she was able to rewrite her narrative
11:01 by pivoting into moviemaking,
11:03 where she's repeatedly proven her writing
11:05 and directing talents.
11:07 - I'll always love you.
11:08 (dramatic music)
11:11 - Love somebody else.
11:23 - Which movie do you think was dragged down
11:25 by one performance?
11:26 Let us know in the comments below.
11:28 - Put it on my tab.
11:29 - But you don't have a tab.
11:31 - I do now.
11:32 - Did you enjoy this video?
11:34 Check out these other clips from WatchMojo
11:36 and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell
11:38 to be notified about our latest videos.
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