Every year, there are a few performances from veteran actors that were expected to be great, but turn out to be pretty disappointing. This year, it seems to be Tom Hank's 'weird' performance in Elvis that many movie fans are talking about, with several audiences confused by his unusual acting style.
But this happens every year, and unfortunately, it happens to almost every popular actor. Not every performance can be a huge win, and Reddit users have been very active on the site discussing some of the popular actors who have fallen victim to this disappointing trend over the years.
Pedro Pascal in Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
It's not often that audiences are treated to a villainous performance from Pedro Pascal, but he's proven on several occasions that he's capable of conveying this kind of role well - which is why audiences were so surprised when his turn in Wonder Woman 1984 was so underwhelming and powerless.
Pascal was clearly attempting to match the lighthearted tone of the film, but in doing so, his performance felt extremely uneven and lacking in power. Reddit user ownpath69 described the role as "cringy" and maybe his "worst role" to date, which is surprising given Pascal's usual talent.
Zendaya in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Zendaya is clearly one of the most talented actresses of her generation, which is clear from her work in both Euphoria and dramatic films like Malcolm and Marie, but many people believe that her casting in the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy was a big mistake. Some fans believe that she doesn't play the role with the energy and charisma necessary to pull it off.
One Reddit user says that she's "unbearable" in the film, claiming that her character is "unlikable" and ironically "has zero chemistry with Tom [Holland]." She's clearly one of the industry's strongest talents, but perhaps her role as MJ isn't challenging her enough.
Al Pacino in Heat (1995)
Michael Mann's Heat was a huge change of pace for Al Pacino, who had previously been known for his more subtle, powerful roles such as Michael Corleone in the Godfather trilogy. However, his incredibly over-the-top performance in Heat struck many audiences the wrong way, believing he was out of tune with the rest of the cast.
"Everyone else is believable," writes Redditor giventofly2, "and he's playing a cartoon character." Whilst it's true that Pacino's character in the film is supposed to be under the influence of drugs for several scenes, there's no denying that the performance is still way more eccentric than anybody was expecting.
Oscar Isaac in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Whilst it's true that superhero movies aren't typically the place to find the most prestigious performances, there's something about Oscar Isaac's role as Apocalypse that feels completely bizarre and unnecessarily dramatic. The X-Men franchise has always had some sense of humor, and Isaac is arguably way too serious in this role.
But it's not just Oscar Isaac's villainous performance that audiences hated about X-Men: Apocalypse, with Reddit user warreng117 defining the film as a "train wreck" overall. It completely misses the spirit of the X-Men franchise, which is why Oscar Isaac's turn as Apocalypse is widely seen as one of the worst superhero movie performances ever.
Samuel L. Jackson in The Spirit (2008)
Samuel L. Jackson is well-known today for his long-running tenure in the MCU, but he's actually been in hundreds of other projects over the years that audiences would likely know him from. One of these is The Spirit, where he plays a cold-hearted killer named The Octopus. However, many fans of the actor believe he was the wrong choice for the role.
"He was too tame for the role," claims Reddit user blackpanther22five, which isn't a criticism that's heard very often of Jackson. He usually brings 110% to all of his roles, but many fans weren't impressed with his lack of character and conviction in The Spirit.
Amy Adams in Justice League (2017)
It's no secret that Justice League was widely hated by DC fans, but one of the aspects that particularly annoyed audiences was Amy Adams' casting as Lois Lane. The actress has given so many great performances before in her career, but her particular acting style just didn't mesh with fans' perceptions of this character at all.
Reddit user freddo9900 believes that "Amy Adams as Lois Lane" is some of the actress' worst work to date, but there's a strong argument to be made that this isn't actually Adams' fault, but rather the fault of the film's writing/production, which went through plenty of changes before release.
Sir Anthony Hopkins in Blackway (2015)
From The Silence of the Lambs to The Father, two-time Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins has proven on several occasions (including very recently) that he's one of the best actors Hollywood has to offer. In Blackway, however, the actor exhibits none of the charisma and talent that has made him so popular over the years.
If it weren't for Hopkins' previous accomplishments, his performance in Blackway might not stand out as strongly as it does - but it's such a disappointment because he's proven before just how engaging he can be as an actor. Yet here, as Redditor king_of_rooks points out, he gives a "mailed-in performance" below his usual quality.
Russell Crowe in Les Miserables (2012)
Tom Hooper's Les Miserables was originally criticized for not casting actual theater actors in the lead roles, with Russell Crowe's casting as Javert seeming particularly odd to many fans of the musical. And whilst many of the actor's biggest fans held out hope for the film, his performance was ultimately panned.
Above all, it was Crowe's singing ability that was criticized in Hooper's film. Reddit user hollyfae_art claims that he "sang without emoting," which resulted in an unfortunately bland performance in contrast to several of his co-stars.
Viola Davis in The First Lady (2022)
In the recent miniseries The First Lady, veteran actress Viola Davis took up the near-impossible task of portraying Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the USA. The actress came under heavy criticism for her portrayal, which many fans thought was incredibly inaccurate and over-stylized.
Viola Davis has acted in plenty of great movies over the years, and she's gathered a reputation as one of today's most reliable actresses - which is why this criticism was so surprising. Reddit user fruitporridge writes that "Viola Davis playing Michelle Obama" was one of the most disappointing performances in recent memory.
George Clooney in Batman & Robin (1997)
In spite of his obvious talent, many audiences were overwhelmingly disappointed with George Clooney's work in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin. The whole film was critically panned, but Clooney's performance has gathered a reputation among fans as apathetic and half-hearted.
Reddit user tch-2022 claims that Batman & Robin has "no redeeming quality," but Clooney, in particular, acted as though he didn't care about the film at all. His performance lacked the passion and effort that he's offered on so many occasions before, leaving audiences to question his involvement in the project.