Performances in CBMs That Were Just Decent

Performances in CBMs That Were Just Decent

In my third article on CBM performances, I tackle performances that I consider to be just decent, and not much higher.

Editorial Opinion
By PaulRom - Apr 07, 2011 12:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Action

(In no particular order)

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson



I thought she was great in the first Spider-Man film, but her performance seemed to lack more and more with each film. Plus, I wish she brought more of the sassy kind of MJ that was in the comics.


Val Kilmer as Batman



I honestly think that the Batman Forever suit looked cooler and more ripped than Michael Keaton's suit, and Kilmer looks more like a Bruce Wayne than Keaton IMO. But Kilmer pretty much sucked in the suit.


Michael Chiklis as the Thing



I believe they got the overall design right for the most part (except they made him look kinda small compared to how I would've liked him to be), but the overall delivery was sort of mediocre, IMO.


Halle Berry as Storm



Again, the design/looks were on the money but for some reason, I think Berry could've done much better.


Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes



I know that a lot of people don't like Fox's acting (for good reason). I think she's hot, and probably somewhere in my top 10-15 celeb crushes, but her acting isn't really the best.


Jim Carrey as the Riddler



I honestly find it difficult to take Carrey's version seriously.


Brandon Routh as Superman



Now I know that at least 98% of people I know say that Routh's take on the Man of Steel was craptastic at best, but I sort of beg to differ. He does get the look almost perfectly, and he could have done much better if he had a better script to work on, but his overall execution wasn't the best they could've done.


Jack Nicholson as the Joker



I like/appreciate how Nicholson's take was quite close to the comics' version, but he was too recognizable and too comical to take seriously. Heath Ledger's take was FAR better, IMO.


James Marsden as Cyclops



Yet again, another looks-on-the-money performance, but Marsden's take on the character was decent at best.


Tyler Manes as Sabretooth



I'm surprised I didn't put this on my worst of list. Manes' take on the character was incredibly unintelligent. Liev Schreiber's version was much, much better.


Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy



Had she received a decent script, she would've been cool as Poison Ivy. But it was just yet another Joel Schumacher screw up.


Well, that's my (short) list. My next in the series will be on upcoming CBM performances I'm stoked to check out.
GLADIATOR 2 Spoilers: Does Russell Crowe Return As Maximus In The GLADIATOR Sequel?
Related:

GLADIATOR 2 Spoilers: Does Russell Crowe Return As Maximus In The GLADIATOR Sequel?

GLADIATOR II Spoilers: Does Lucius Suffer The Same Fate As Russell Crowe's Maximus?
Recommended For You:

GLADIATOR II Spoilers: Does Lucius Suffer The Same Fate As Russell Crowe's Maximus?

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

yankeemanf
yankeemanf - 4/7/2011, 12:55 PM
i agree with this list yet i think nicholson was the better joker but ledger was the better villian...ledger wouldve been better in my eyes if he was a villian that was original but nicholson pulled off the comic book's joker perfectly and isnt that what we want? and i think marsden couldve been better but looking at his other performances he does a great job playing a different character and imo kilmer with a good script and director wouldve been by far the best batman/bruce wayne
Hellsing
Hellsing - 4/7/2011, 12:58 PM
I am sorry but MJ was not MJ in the raimi's movies nothing like the comic book counter part what so ever, we never saw the party girl side of her, or the caring side instead she was made in to some one else entirely. Lets hope the new spidey flicks get that right.
George88
George88 - 4/7/2011, 1:00 PM
Take off Tyler Mane and Megan Fox and it'll be a good list. Mane & Fox were horrible.
jaysin420
jaysin420 - 4/7/2011, 1:03 PM
Well I'm sure everyone's going to cry over this but I think Bale belongs up there. He may be a great actor in most everything else (-Salvation), but as Batman/Bruce Wayne he's just decent.

Very much like Routh and Marsden, he didn't do anything wrong but he didn't do anything special with the part either.
golden123
golden123 - 4/7/2011, 1:25 PM
Looks should be a tiny (if at any) part of the character's performance *Cough,Cough Megan Fox Cough, Cough*. As for not being able to take Jack Nicholson's part seriously, were Burton's Bat films meant to be serious or comic like? Nicholson nailed the role for the movie, in my opinion.
LP4
LP4 - 4/7/2011, 2:17 PM
@Paul- Dude Routh didn't even act in the film. His "looks" shouldn't be a deciding factor on whether or not he did a decent job. Any idiot can look the part but if they don't act it, then no. But sorry...it is your list.

All I'm saying is-Kristin Dunst, Val Kilmer, Jim Carrey, Jack Nicholson and all the others you listed- they actually acted in their roles, they said their dialogue. Routh didn't.

@JaySin420- I would say Bale was a better Batman than Routh was as Superman. I mean damn at least Bale acted well. The only issue people tend to have with Bale is his Batman voice sounds like he's couphing up a hairball. But I can't see Bale's Batman placed in the same ranking as Routh's Superman. Routh just didn't act...at all.
whoa123
whoa123 - 4/7/2011, 7:06 PM
Great list and I agree with you that Tyler Mane's Sabertooth should've been on your 'worst' list. Hey guys if you have an extra time check out my Daredevil (Reboot) fan posters just Click Here thanks!!
Caedus137
Caedus137 - 4/8/2011, 1:43 AM
Uma Thurman's Poison Ivy is my pick for worst performace of all time - and not just in a CBM - in any film ever. That voice she puts on makes me want to hurt puppies and kittens... Oh, and as for those who seem to have jumped on the ridiculous "Brandon Routh din't act in Superman Returns" bandwagon- Erm...I think you'll find he did. You know those 2 hours where he is on camera speaking his lines? Yeah! There you go! Okay - he was never gonna win an Oscar for his performance, but he wasn't bad either. It's become very popular and very easy to slag off Brandon Routh, but while he's no Samuel L Jackson (awesome), he's no Hayden Christensen either (terrible)...
CoolioVids
CoolioVids - 4/8/2011, 9:26 AM
I can stand Jim Carrey just because I feel he was told to "do what he does" instead of trying to be the riddler
yankeemanf
yankeemanf - 4/8/2011, 12:58 PM
@caedus137 SLJ is one of the worst actors imo samuel l jackson plays the exact same role in every single movie he is in and that role is SLJ as for Brandon Routh he was being someone else tho that someone else was Christopher Reeve (who imo was an ok superman...people overhype it and the movie looking back is pretty cheesy) but all im saying s i think routh is a better actor than SLJ which in my opinion rele isnt saying much either

@cooliovids u cant hate on jim carrey for being told to do what he does and he did that u have to hate on shumacker who told him to do what he does and didnt tell him to be the riddler
View Recorder