The Most Phoned-In Performances of All Time

[Human Torch]

Brando was fine as Jor-El.People think he did that for Superman,because he didn't care about it,but he read cue cards before on other movies.

I thought Bana was alright as Nero.My biggest problem with him was the character being more a whiny brat as opposted to the determined vengence minded Khan clone that he was inteneded.

"I want Spock dead now!"
He could've said "I want ice cream now!" and it would've been a better inflection.

Oh,and Clooney as Batman.Nuff said.

 

[MrMaooz]

Brando was fine as Jor-El.People think he did that for Superman,because he didn't care about it,but he read cue cards before on other movies.

I thought Bana was alright as Nero.My biggest problem with him was the character being more a whiny brat as opposted to the determined vengence minded Khan clone that he was inteneded.

"I want Spock dead now!"
He could've said "I want ice cream now!" and it would've been a better inflection.

Oh,and Clooney as Batman.Nuff said.

Spawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwk!

 

[Human Torch]

Spawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwk!

Oh yeah,how could I forget that?

 

[Vid Electricz]

That's why I hope JJ can bring out the best when Ford does Star Wars Episode VII. I want the lovable rogue that we all admired, not a bored grump.

Unfortunately, those days are long gone.

I remember someone (Kevin Smith? ugh, I know) making a pretty good case as to why bringing these characters back and expecting them to be exactly the same characters for the purpose of fan-service and nostalgia would be pointless/disheartening/disappointing. I present Indiana Jones 4 as evidence.

Moments pass and it's impossible to recapture them. Trying to do so usually ends with disappointment.

 

[Octoberist]

Yeah certain actors with certain characters work at a particular age.

We shall see. I mean, that means Ford has to take what he helped create, and evolve it. Not just to an 'old man persona' (I'm getting too old for this) or whatever.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Possibly a Han Solo like Clint Eastwood in 'The Unforgiven'? Personally, I thought that was the best depiction of that kind of character in his older years.

 

[Octoberist]

That's the only way to go. Unforgiven.

 

[Vid Electricz]

Yeah certain actors with certain characters work at a particular age.

We shall see. I mean, that means Ford has to take what he helped create, and evolve it. Not just to an 'old man persona' (I'm getting too old for this) or whatever.

Which, guaranteed, will confuse and anger fans, because they want the "Han Solo" that they know and are comfortable with on screen.

It'll take a LOT of finesse to pull it off properly, but given the massive cultural landmark that Star Wars is, it'll either come off as pandering fan-service (most likely the case as Into Darkness showed us) or a "massive disappointment" and "insult" to the "fans" (what isn't these days?).

 

[MrMaooz]

Oh yeah,how could I forget that?

"I knew I should have killed you when I had the chance!!!" JeremyJahns says he could have been a 12 year old brat lol. Don't get me wrong though, I love Star Trek 09.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I present Indiana Jones 4 as evidence.

Moments pass and it's impossible to recapture them. Trying to do so usually ends with disappointment.

Except Ford wasn't the problem with Indy 4. He was actually pretty great in the role again.

Brando was fine as Jor-El.People think he did that for Superman,because he didn't care about it,but he read cue cards before on other movies.

His Oscar winning role in The Godfather to be exact.

And yes, he was fine as Jor-El. Now his performance in Apocalypse Now, that was phoned-in.

 

[Vid Electricz]

Except Ford wasn't the problem with Indy 4. He was actually pretty great in the role again.

He was fine (I guess), but it's the same instance of trotting out the old war horse to try to re-live and re-create the days when he was wild stallion (wyld stallyns! ).

It's almost guaranteed to be dissapointing.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Not necessarily. There's still interesting stories to be told about those characters in their older years. But the writing should acknowledge the change. Stallone pulled it off great in Rocky Balboa and Rambo. Clint Eastwood played an amazing old version of his Man with No Name character in Unforgiven. So it can work.

 

[Octoberist]

He was fine (I guess), but it's the same instance of trotting out the old war horse to try to re-live and re-create the days when he was wild stallion (wyld stallyns! ).

It's almost guaranteed to be dissapointing.

If there is leverage that JJ has with Star Wars, it's that Han won't be the main character. We don't know how big Ford's role is yet, but at least he's a supporting character and will have less screentime that he had with the original films.

With Indy 4, he was the titual character so that's sorta different.

 

[danoyse]

Bruce Willis in A Good Day to Die Hard. The movie was terrible, but he basically just shrugged through the whole thing.

 

[Farren]

George Clooney in Batman and Robin is the king of phoned in performances.

Natalie Portman in the Star Wars prequels.

I think she legit tried in the first one. She'd given up by the last two. Not that it made much of a difference IMO. She's terrible in everything but Leon (but that's not really acting that's just good child casting).

 

[Tanin]

Ford can not phone in a star wars performance. its the movie . the movie that gave him an opportunity to be a serious actor. even if the script is bad and his character is not good he needs to give a good performance.

Star Wars was campy fun as was Indiana Jones. Blade Runner was the film that showed he could be a serious actor.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Bruce Willis in A Good Day to Die Hard. The movie was terrible, but he basically just shrugged through the whole thing.

But he was on vacation!

 

[the last son]

I actually thought that his role as Pa Kent was one of the best performances he's given in years. And I don't even like him that much as an actor, so that's saying something.

I think you're projecting just because you didn't like the film.

I actually loved man of steel. Maybe it had more to do with how.his character was written but he looked disinterested, bored and ready to collect and go home.

 

[Still Wynning]

I actually loved man of steel. Maybe it had more to do with how.his character was written but he looked disinterested, bored and ready to collect and go home.

Whoops, sorry.

So many people on this board that didn't like the film that I'm confusing them with the ones that did. t:

 

[Rowsdower!]

Unfortunately Liam has done too much phoning in lately.

Heh, yeah. Taken 2 is the perfect example. A phoned-in performance where half of the film LITERALLY consists of him talking on the phone!

 

[Schlosser85]

I actually loved man of steel. Maybe it had more to do with how.his character was written but he looked disinterested, bored and ready to collect and go home.

IMO Costner always *looks* bored even when he's giving a good performance. I think it's just how he is.

 

[Bad Superman]

Bruce Willis in Fire With Fire

 

[nite-owl]

The thread should be re-titled to name a Bruce Willis performance from the past ten years.

 

[Rowsdower!]

LOL, yeah. Willis has been sleepwalking through roles for the past decade. Although I guess I'd rather see him continue to do that than take on roles that he's really, REALLY not suited for (still having nightmares that they might cast him as Lex Luthor simply because he's a "name" and is bald).

 

[nite-owl]

Still a better suggestion than Billy Zane.