Nicolas Cage has starred in some of Hollywood's major blockbusters. From Face/Off to National Treasure, fans are used to seeing him in high-budget movies fit for the big screen. In fact, Nicolas Cage's highest-rated movies were all released in theaters. However, he has starred in several obscure direct-to-video movies in the latter half of his career.
Audiences may not know all of Cage's films that were only made for home release. They didn't get the same kind of promotion as his big theatrical features like Ghost Rider. However, diehard Nic Cage fans have followed up on his work and taken to IMDb to size them up.
Rage — 5.0
Rage is one of Cage's several action movies released in the 2010s. The film finds the actor playing Paul Maguire, a criminal who comes upon a large sum of money during one of his illegal jobs. It allows him to leave the life of crime, but eventually, it catches up with him.
While some of Cage's flops like Trespass get a reputation for being so bad-it's good, Rage seems to miss the mark. Movies with non-theatrical releases don't get the same opportunities as big-budget movies, and Rage doesn't make up for it with any charm.
Pay The Ghost — 5.2
Cage plays professor Mike Lawford in Pay The Ghost. His son is kidnapped during a Halloween parade at the beginning of the film, laying the foundation for the spooky tale that follows. Lawford soon discovers there are supernatural powers at work he'll have to unpack to find out his son's fate.
Pay The Ghost perhaps gets a higher rating on IMDb than some of Cage's other small films for its supernatural spin. Some audiences say Pay The Ghost is one of Cage's least-known movies fans should see. He has plenty of thrillers on his roster, and perhaps the popularity of franchises like Paranormal Activity provided a built-in audience for Pay The Ghost.
Inconceivable — 5.2
Cage offers a supporting role in Inconceivable, which focuses on Gina Gershon as Angela. Angela and her husband Brian (Cage) face struggles in growing their family. As a result, they reach out to a friend of a friend, Katie, to act as a surrogate. However, they discover Katie has ulterior motives, along with a body count.
Inconceivable isn't anywhere near Cage's best film, and the story is confusing thanks to its sporadic flashbacks which make it hard to follow. However, the movie has star power with Faye Dunaway playing Angela's mom, and the plot, once understood, is more unique than some of Cage's lower-rated non-theatrical releases.
Vengeance: A Love Story — 5.2
Vengeance: A Love Story places Cage in a well-worn story of revenge. He plays John Dromoor, a police officer who investigates an attack against a single mother. When the perpetrators are released without punishment, Dromoor goes after the assailants on his own terms.
Audiences have proven to love revenge stories, shown in the celebrated response to movies like Kill Bill and John Wick. Perhaps the familiar framework of Vengeance: A Love Story draws fans in. However, the execution of the story left it with a worse rating than some of Cage's other direct-to-video movies.
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage — 5.3
Most of Nic Cage's low-rated non-theatrical films are contemporary thrillers. However, USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage breaks the pattern, presenting audiences with a nautical war movie taking place during the end of World War Two. Cage plays the captain of the USS Indianapolis, and the film follows its sinking and the subsequent survival and rescue of the crew.
War movies require a big budget to accurately present the destruction that takes place during wartime. USS Indianapolis seems to suffer from its small production. The film is similarly rated to some of Cage's other thrillers without a theatrical release. However, the film's ambitious story earned it a slightly higher rating.
Running With The Devil — 5.4
Running With The Devil follows Nic Cage as "The Cook." He is involved in a massive drug ring, and production and distribution are central to the plot of the film. The thriller places Cage in one of several roles in the crime world, slinging guns and making deals in the underbelly of the drug world.
Nic Cage is often the only familiar face to fans in his direct-to-video movies. Running With The Devil breaks the mold, featuring the celebrated Lawrence Fishburn alongside Cage in a starring role. The Green Mile and 25th Hour's Barry Pepper also supports the cast. Their performances make the film more well-rounded than some of his other non-theatrical releases. Some fans say Running With The Devil is one of Nic Cage's best recent movies.
Stolen — 5.5
Cage gives fans another performance as a criminal in Stolen. He plays Will Montgomery, a professional thief who leaves the life of crime after doing time in prison. Upon his release, his daughter is kidnapped, and he is dragged back into his old life in his search for her.
Stolen gives audiences a familiar Nic Cage movie, drawing to mind his other roles in movies like Rage. However, its execution gives it a higher rating than his similar direct-to-video films. Fans can only point to Simon West's direction as the reason for its higher rating, having wowed fans directing Cage in Con-Air.
The Frozen Ground — 6.4
The Frozen Ground may not be one of Nicholas Cage's IMDb highest-rated movies. However, it is the highest-rated non-theatrical release. The Alaska-set crime thriller showcases Cage as state trooper Jack Halcombe who tracks down a serial killer, Robert Hansen, played by John Cusack. The film cuts between Hansen's hidden abduction of his latest victim and Halcombe as he tries to decode clues and find Hansen before his next kill.
The film is Cage's highest-rated direct-to-video release perhaps because it doesn't have the low-budget quality of a non-theatrical movie. Although the story is derivative and reminiscent of movies like The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and A Walk Among The Tombstones, it is filmed thoughtfully. Furthermore, the film boasts star power with celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens and 50 Cent, alongside Cage and Cusack.